Celebrate America Recycles Day on Nov. 15, 2014, by taking the pledge to:
• Learn what materials can be recycled
• Act by reducing your personal waste and
• Share your recycling knowledge with family and friends
Each year, the United States generates more than 250 million tons of municipal solid waste — that’s more than 4 pounds per person, per day.
In Issaquah, most residents have access to recycling and composting. Our overall diversion rate is 44 percent, but more can be done.
It’s important to first reduce your overall waste, then reuse items when possible and recycle what cannot be reused.
Our nation has reached an overall recycling rate of 34.5 percent, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Each year, our national recycling rate:
• Sends 87 million tons of material to a useful second life instead of the landfill
• Saves the same amount of energy consumed by more than 10 million U.S. households in a year
• Avoids greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing more than 33 million cars