6 shocking facts you should know about recycling

Aug 14th, 2019 | Category: Young Living Product Blog

Plastic—it’s complicated

Did you know it takes only five 16.9-ounce water bottles to create enough fiber for one ski jacket or one square foot of carpet? Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every single hour. Think of how much carpet we could produce if we recycled all those bottles.

Disposable water bottles are only part of the problem. You’ll currently find 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans. While swimming with dolphins is a top bucket-list item, swimming with sporks is definitely not.

Remember the “i before e, except after c” thing—one rule with a ton of exceptions? That’s kind of like recycling plastic, but in this case, following the rules saves the planet. Almost any sturdy, hard plastic is recyclable—things like Thieves® Fruit Veggie Soak, Seedlings® Baby Wash Shampoo, and Super B™.

What you can do:

  • Break up with single-use plastics. Bring your own cup for your morning beverage, keep a fork or spoon at work, and carry a stainless steel water bottle.
  • Know before you throw. Check the number in the center of the recycling symbol on the packaging and compare it to your local recycling standards. Some places accept number 1-7; others are more limited. The recycling hauler at Young Living’s GHQ accepts 1-7; 1, 2, and 5 are recycled; 3, 4, and 6-7 are shredded and burnt for energy using a clean process.
  • Go for the sure thing. Look at our cheat sheet below to see what numbers you can always recycle.

Article source: https://www.youngliving.com/blog/things-you-didnt-know-about-recycling/