Boy Scout Troop Recycles Papers

There are four major factors that show a need to upscale recycling in the United States: We are running out of room for landfills; incineration is expensive; landfills, incinerators and other waste-treatment facilities cause a “not in my back yard” reaction and the skyrocketing prices make recycled plastics attractive as raw materials and the lack of trees makes paper a precious commodity; and limited ore supplies make aluminum recycling a profitable venture.

My Scout troop has recycled newspaper goods for the past two years. Proceeds from the newspaper drives went to fund Eagle Scout projects that benefited our community. If we recycle paper, we will also be saving our natural resources. I personally recycle aluminum cans. I feel they pay handsome dividends for the small amount of work put in. Many of my friends do the same thing. It is beneficial to have recycling plants because it is more expensive to mine the aluminum ore than it is to simply melt the cans and recast them.

American households generate over 11 metric tons of solid waste every year. U.S. industry is now demonstrating that plastics recycling is practical, environmentally sound, cost-effective and potentially profitable. Major producers like DuPont are building resin recovery units.

Also, many goods are sold in glass jars. These, too, can be recycled. If a family can just spare a little extra time setting aside the recyclable items, they can save themselves a little money, and perhaps preserve the earth for future generations.

RAHUL KRISHNASWAMY

Yorba Linda

Krishnaswamy is a 15-year-old Eagle Scout in Troop 706 .