Global Recycling Day: Key Facts and Top Tips
#GlobalRecyclingDay is held annually on the 18th March and it supports the promotion of recycling across the world. To encourage the theme for 2019 which is ‘Recycling Into The Future’, we’ve put together a list of all our recycling and energy saving top tips and some ‘Did you know’ facts on recycling…take a look below.
Did you know…
Recycling combats climate change:
• The recycling industry reduces CO2 emissions by 700 million tons per year
• This is the equivalent of offsetting the total CO2 emissions of the aviation industry each year
• By collecting just 1kg of used clothing, we can reduce 3.6kg of CO2 emissions; 6000l of water consumption; 0.3k of the use of fertilizers and 0.2kg of the use of pesticides
Recycling boosts local employment:
• 1.6 million people worldwide are active in the recycling industry
• Each year $20 million is invested by the industry into job creation
• The recycling industry has an annual turnover of $200 billion; 10% of this figure is reinvested in new technologies, R&D and in creating new skilled jobs to improve the efficiency and environmental impact of recycling
Recycling conserves primary resources:
• Recycling materials provide at least 40% of the global raw material needs
• Over 63% of aluminium cans are recycled worldwide
• A typical electrical appliance is usually made of 75% recycled steel
• Steel cans consist of at least 25% recycled steel
• An average stainless-steel object is composed of about 60% of recycled materials
Recycling Top Tips
Recycling Paper
• Paper is usually the greatest waste in the office, try and use digital formats for writing notes and sending communications
• Think before you print. Add this to your email signatures to remind everyone!
• Request online invoices and order products online
• Re-use envelopes for international communications
• Send out an email campaign to all staff boasting the benefits of recycling and word it in such a way that your employees will respect the businesses behavioural changes and support it
Saving Energy
• Turn off heating in empty rooms, making sure they are well ventilated
• Manage heating and cooling with timers and sensor controls
• Investigate taking all, or a percentage of your energy from renewable resources or ‘green tariffs’
Recycling
• Recycle your office furniture by using local council schemes or call Quills on 0845 078 0324 and we will investigate the costs to recycle your furniture and help you reach your environmental targets
• Install different bins so that waste can be separated into plastics, paper and card, food waste and general waste
• Recycle your toner cartridges via Quills
• Recycle your batteries via Quills
• Get rid of personal bins at desks and encourage staff to use bins which allow for separated waste
• Purchase refillable pens via Quills to reduce plastic waste through stationery usage
Reduce your carbon footprint
• Home-working
• Car sharing
• Encourage the use of public transport and provide incentives to do so such as interest-free loans for public transport season tickets
It’s clear that there are a number of quick and easy ways to improve our recycling habits both at home and at work. Quills can offer you a Total Waste Management Program which incorporates all or some of the waste streams within your business. Get in touch today to see how we can help you.
