Timeline Of How We Slowed Our Paper Waste through recyclying
1031- The first ever recording of reusing paper. Small Japanese shops re pulp paper in order to reuse it, in order to save money.
1690- Recycling starts in the US. Philadelphians give their old linen rags and cotton things to The Ritterhouse Mill. The mill uses the fibers to create new paper for all.
1904- The first 2 aluminum can recycling plants are introduced in Cleveland and Chicago. 60 years later the full aluminum can is introduced and after it is recycled, it made cars.
1970- The first Earth day comes. Everyone does their part in caring for the planet. Today 1,00,000,000 people celebrate Earth day.
1990- McDonalds stops using styrofoam containers in order to help slow down waste in out landfills.
1995- Americans recycle a record 47.6 billion soft drink containers, an increase of 500 million over the previous year. Aluminum cans are recycled at a rate of 63% in the U.S. with the highest state-wide rate in California at 80%.
2000- The EPA confirms a link between global warming and waste, showing that reducing our garbage and recycling cut down greenhouse gas emissions
2015- California becomes the first state to completely ban plastic bags in convenience stores as well as grocery stores.
Whats the Issue?
There is a lot of horrible things going on with our paper waste. Everyday you can walk into a high school bathroom, and see a mountain of paper towels kids have used to wash their hands. You can walk into classrooms and see the recycling bin filled with copies of worksheets that the teacher or students did not need. You can walk into office building and see the same exact thing. You can walk into practically anyplace, and see our paper waste problem.
Its hard too see who it really effects because we are surrounded by a fake world where everything we need is possible to get. In the end though, it effects every living thing on this planet.
It should be obvious how it effects us; if we cut down the things that give us oxygen, essential for life, it will kill us. At this rate, in 100 years we wont have any forests left, which means no oxygen left either. which means we all die.
Who is resisting?
Many people and company's are fighting against our usage of paper around the world. In our specific school, our green team is helping lower our usage. They set up recycling and organics bins in our lunch room in order for our school to be able to recycle in the first place. Another way they are helping is my trying to get electric dryers in our bathrooms, which would lower or paper towel usage.
A big company that is helping fight against our paper problem is a company called StopPaperWaste. What they do is help inform us unique ways to slow or problem down.