Recycling @ GU

 
Why Recycle?
"The U.S. recycling industry consists of approximately 29,345 establishments, that employ over 950,000 people, generate an annual payroll of nearly $34 billion, and gross over $222 billion in annual revenues. The reuse industry employs nearly 170,000 workers in more than 26,000 establishments, supports an annual payroll of over $2.7 billion, and generates more than $14.1 billion in revenues." (wsra.net)

Learn more about recycling at Gonzaga (presentation created by student Sustainability Ambassadors)

Learn more about composting at Gonzaga

Recycling and Environmental Facts

• Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 trees, 2 barrels of oil (enough to run the average car for 1,260 miles), 4,100 kilowatts of energy (enough power for the average home for 6 months), 3.2 cubic yards of landfill space, and 60 pounds of air pollution. Trash to Cash
• Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commercial fleet of airplanes every 3 months. Environmental Defense Fund
• About 80% of what Americans throw away is recyclable, yet our recycling rate is just 28%. Environmental Protection Agency
• Over ½ million trees are saved each year by recycling paper in Boulder County. Eco-Cycle
• There are more roads in our National Forests than the entire U.S. Interstate Highway system. National Forest Protection Alliance
• Recycling creates 6 times as many jobs as landfilling. Colorado Recycles
• Recycling glass instead of making it from silica sand reduces mining waste by 70%, water use by 50%, and air pollution by 20%. Environmental Defense Fund
• Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to operate a TV for 3 hours. Eco-Cycle
• If we recycled all of the newspapers printed in the U.S. on a typical Sunday, we would save 550,000 trees--or about 26 million trees per year. California Department of Conservation
• The energy saved each year by steel recycling is equal to the electrical power used by 18 million homes each year - or enough energy to last Los Angeles residents for eight years. Steel Recycling Institute
• If every household in the U.S. replaced just one roll of 1,000 sheet virgin fiber bathroom tissues with 100% recycled ones, we could save: 373,000 trees, 1.48 million cubic feet of landfill space, and 155 million gallons of water. Seventh Generation Co.
• The U.S. is 5% of the world's population but uses 25% of its natural resources. Environmental Protection Agency

More information about recycling 

• Is Recycling Worth It?
• Washington State Recycling Association
• Recycling in Your State

Questions or suggestions? Email us at sustainability@gonzaga.edu.