I am personally invested in my recyclables. I didn't mean for it to get this way but because I spend so much time rinsing and sorting, I get to know the contents of my bin very well. Top this off with the fact that I have to pay extra every month for curbside service and you could say that I believe that I am making good environmental choices.But what if all of my efforts are a waste of time and money? I have heard the argument before that there are more trees now than there were in 1920 and that most virgin pulp comes from tree farms. I hadn't given much consideration to the chemical process used to turn paper back into pulp and the residue it leaves behind. Although there is less paper in the landfills, the recycling process re-bleaches the paper leaving dioxins behind.The actual process of recycling paper can cost up to three times as much as simply bringing it to a landfill.
But rather than throw our collective hands in the air and ditch the bin, there are a few things that we can do. The first is to select paper made with high post-consumer content which guarantees that what we put on the curb is getting used. Secondly, select a product that was not bleached with chlorine. Lastly, try to decrease your household waste to begin with and you won't need to fret over its use once it leaves your home.
Gallery: 5 Reasons to Ditch Unwanted Catalogs
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