On a tour of the County Recycling Center, I learned more about the recycling process and new totes — one for cardboard and another for glasses and cans — that every county resident is scheduled to receive.

According to the EPA, recycling:

• Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators
• Conserves natural resources such as timber, water and minerals
• Increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials
• Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials
• Saves energy
• Supports American manufacturing and conserves valuable resources
• Helps create jobs in the recycling and manufacturing industries in the United States

Recycling more effectively is incredibly important, and reducing our waste is critical to improving our environmental sustainability.

Sophia Chadda