Recycling encourages Brits to waste less
Monday, April 15, 2013 - 14:48:23
The Economist reports that while recycling rates have increased dramatically over the past decade, people in the UK have actually undergone a transformation in their habits relating to how they actually view waste products.
About 43 per cent of all household waste was recycled in England last year, with Wales outstripping its neighbour and reaching 53 per cent over the same period.
However, figures also show that the average British household is throwing away 15 per cent less waste in total today than it did in 2001.
What this suggests is that the various initiatives designed to encourage people to recycle have also made British households think more carefully about the items that they dispose of in general.
Waste remains a key issue for the UK and other nations, but because we are becoming more conscious of the need to be economical and environmentally conscious, our purchasing and usage habits have shifted over a relatively short period of time.
Experts also believe that there are other factors involved in the decreasing overall waste levels in the UK. The impact of the credit crunch and the multi-dip recession has led to reduced spending, which might be a contributor.
It is also worth noting that the rise in the sale of digital products, such as music, movies and games, means that there are fewer packaged goods being purchased and so less waste created.
The death of print media is another factor included in some calculations, explaining why waste levels have declined over the past decade. Newspaper circulation has dipped by almost a third over the past six years, as people increasingly use the web to get the latest stories.
Hopefully the changes in technology, as well as the influence of an eco-friendly atmosphere, will help to keep levels of household waste on a downward spiral.
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