Article 3: American Waste Land

- Americans waste around "251 million tons of trash a year."
- Every person generates around "4.6 pounds of garbage" per day. Somewhere around only "1.5 pounds of that makes it into a recycling bin."
- In one year Americans don't recycle a good "41 million tons of paper and paperboard, about 10 million tons of glass, and 30 million tons of food."
- Just by recycling 1 glass bottle a "100-watt light bulb" can run for 4 hours."
- Recycling 1 soda can could save enough energy to "power a computer for 3 hours."
- About "2.5 millions tons of aluminum" will be thrown out by Americans in 1 year. Saving less than 1 percent of that aluminum is akin to saving "36 barrels of oil, or 1,655 gallons of gasoline-- enough to fill the tanks of 72 SUVs."
- In one hour Americans will use and throw out most of the "9.3 million plastic beverage bottles" used.