Something that we can all do something about is about WASTE - and how we can reduce it.
Every tonne of paper recycled saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 2 barrels of oil & 4,000kw of electricity, that energy saved can power 1 home for 5 months! The energy saved by recycling just 1 aluminium can is enough to run a television for three hours! Recycling one tonne of plastic bottles saves the equivalent energy usage of a two-person household for one year! Recycling a single plastic bottle can conserve enough energy to light a 60w light bulb for up to 6 hours! The energy saved from recycling 1 glass bottle is enough to power a light bulb for 4 hours.
If each household turned down its room heating thermostat by just 2 degrees or drove just 1 mile less per day, it would save as much energy as is used to make the packaging for its whole year's supply of goods!
The table above shows that there is a task we can all take on. We can all recycle, reuse or compost just a little bit more of our waste that in turn will make a difference.
What you can do
- Recycle paper: the average family uses 6 trees worth of paper a year
- Recycle aluminium cans: the average person has the opportunity to recycle more than 25,000 cans in a lifetime!
- Recycle plastic bottles
- Recycle glass bottles
Sources of Information
- Cornwall Council Recycling, Rubbish and Waste
- Find out what happens with our black rubbish bags on Cornwall Council's 'Rubbish Facts' page
13th January 2021