1. In 2004, the 2.3 billion residents of low-income nations accounted for 3% of public and private consumption of resources, while the 1 billion residents of industrialized nations accounted for 80% of consumption.

 

2. Recycling creates 6 times as many jobs as land-filling.

 

3. In 2009, Americans produced about 243 million tons of waste, or about 4.3 pounds of waste per person per day.

 

4. Recycling and composting prevented 82 million tons of material away from being disposed of 2009, up from 15 million tons in 1980. This prevented the release of approximately 178 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the air in 2009—equivalent to taking 33 million cars off the road for a year.

 

5. Recycling reduces energy consumption, and saves 95 percent of the greenhouse gases associated with primary production.

 

6. There is no limit to the number of times aluminum can be recycled.

 

7. Greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. increased by 17 percent from 1990-2007.

 

8. The dominant factor affecting U.S. emissions trends is CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion, which increased by 21.8 percent over the 17-year period, while methane and nitrous oxide emissions decreased by 5 percent and 1 percent, respectively.

 

9. Fossil fuels account for 79% of all U.S. energy consumption. In 2003, Americans consumed over 2000 liters of gas and diesel per person, compared to over 500 liters a person in Europe, and roughly 100 liters a person in China.

 

 Sources:

1. Earth Trends, an environmental information website, http://earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/236.

2. “Beyond Recycling: Getting to Zero Waste” http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89169980

3. The Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/index.htm

4. The Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/index.htm

5. Automotive Aluminum, “Environment: Did You Know” http://www.autoaluminum.org/main/index.cfm?secID=15&ArticleID=12

6. Automotive Aluminum, “Environment: Did You Know” http://www.autoaluminum.org/main/index.cfm?secID=15&ArticleID=12

7. The Environmental Protection Agency, http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/index.html

8. The Environmental Protection Agency, http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/index.html

9. “U.S. Climate Action Report 2010” http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/140010.pdf; Earth Trends, http://earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/236