Stronger Recycling Operations Imply the Creation of 2.3 Million Jobs

A study led by the Tellus Institute with Sound Resource Management, named "More Jobs, Less Pollution," managed to indicate that the enhanced national recycling strategy could be a key factor in responding to alarming issues such as climate change, unemployment rate and a general state of poor health.

Achieving a 75 percent diversion rate for the municipal solid waste seems to be the most appropriate way to boost the entire American economy by fighting the stubborn 9% unemployment rate while hiring more people.

“The Green Economy Scenario with a 75 percent diversion rate generates 2,347,000 total direct jobs over 1.1 million more jobs than in the Base Case, and nearly 1.5
million more jobs than in 2008,” according to the lead author of this report, James Goldstein, senior fellow at Tellus Institute.

As a way to celebrate the America Recycles Day, authorities are doing the best they can to make sure that environmental preservation is on the list of top priorities.

According to the experts from Tellus Institute proper recycling strategies and composting operations might be able to guarantee the creation of a total of 2.3 million jobs, by 2030.

Even if the deadline is still far away, the anticipated effects are quite significant. Air pollution is another source of concern. If the Americans improve their attitude by making it more eco-conscious, such a conduct will stop approximately 276 million metric tons from reaching the atmosphere.

If the numbers don't draw the right picture, scientists say that the total effect is similar to what the US government might obtain after closing the gates of 72 coal power plants or taking 50 million vehicles off the road.

The report reflects that, despite the fact that the solid American waste has the potential to be recycled, only 33% of the entire amount of trash is actually being handled in a proper way. The rest is just being discarded in landfills.

If education plays its part in this eco-circuit in a proper manner, recycling should become part of the daily routine.

Further more, if the authors of this study are right and recyclable processing has the ability to create two jobs for every 1,000 tons of waste, the government should invest more in recycling operations so that unemployment rate stops being an emerging problem for thousands of Americans.