We would also return to using far more reusable containers, such as returnable bottles. This would also create more jobs, and keep more money in local economies. Recycling - defending the status quo Recycling as a way of reducing environmental impacts and cutting our materials use is by no means easy. It requires a complex infrastructure to collect, sort, process and re-sell our waste, often for relatively small environmental benefits. Partly this is because it is a visible action that we can all manage, but it's also because corporations have often supported recycling over other approaches.
Recycling is important, but it has limits.
The best way to cut your environmental impact is to buy less stuff, and to repair and re-use what you buy. In the end you'll save money and help to create jobs. Definitely recycle, but only as a last resort. And don't forget to buy recycled goods. Without a market, all the waste you collect will end up in the waste dump anyway.