The Dirty Truth About Recycling ⋆ College Magazine

Since Earth Day is today, it is important to keep in mind ways to be ecofriendly. People tell us all the time to turn off the faucet when we brush our teeth, take shorter showers, recycle our bottles, etc. Although everything we hear is pretty much true, some things can really help change the way that our world is deteriorating:

MYTH: Forgetting to recycle this one bottle really isn’t a big deal.

Trash is one of our major problems. Unless we want to live in Wall-e’s world, we have to do something about it now. Check this video out to learn more about America’s problem with trash.

MYTH: Hand washing dishes is more environmentally friendly than dishwashing.

There is a lot of debate about this, but the most ecofriendly way of washing your dishes is by hand in cold water.

MYTH: Organic food is better for the environment.

While that’s partially true, organic, locally grown food is the best choice. But, if it’s organic food from California and you’re in New York, the cons outweigh the pros.

MYTH: Leaving my car idling isn’t really that bad. Plus, I’m cold and I need heat!

Leaving your car idling is one of the easiest things to change. According to The Daily Green, Americans idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year. That’s $78.2 billion worth of gas! Think about all of the money you’ll save by just turning your key a few clicks.

MYTH: Putting my computer to sleep is just as effective as turning it off.

Speaking of saving money, turning off your computer when you aren’t using it saves an average of $90 of electricity every year.

MYTH: There’s really nothing I can do about my laundry. Laundry is laundry and it has to get clean.

Wash your laundry in cold water. That’s as easy as clicking one button or turning one knob. Did you know that 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes into heating?

Here are some really easy things to do:

In order to create less garbage, buy and sell to consignment stores. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, right?
It really is important to unplug things when you’re not using them. Even if the TV is off, if it’s plugged in, it’s still using way too much energy.
Buy milk in paper cartons or glass bottles. The plastic containers are so much worse for the environment.
Try to remember to bring reusable bags into the grocery story with you. If you forget often, put them in your car so you always see them and are always reminded of them.
Change your light bulbs to the ecofriendly kind. They’re brighter and they help the planet.
Plant a tree. More plants, more planet.
By turning off your appliances, you could use this saved money by investing in materials for a local garden, donating to organizations like World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace International or National Geographic Society, or buying organically.
Calculate your carbon footprint here in order to see how much you are emitting into the environment