When an item indicates "recycled content," it means that a percentage of the material has been recycled. Products with recycled material may contain some pre-consumer trash, some post-consumer waste, or both. Recycled content can be defined as any material that has been used before and could be used again. The more recycled content an item has, the more energy efficient it is. And since energy efficiency is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, using products with recycled content helps reduce your impact on the environment. However, recycled content doesn't necessarily mean an item is environmentally friendly - expensive materials may be used in recycling processes so cheaper alternatives can be used instead. Items containing recycled content include: paper products, such as cardboard, bags, and wrapping papers; cans, glass jars, and bottles; textile products including clothes, bedsheets, and towels; and other recyclable materials such as metal, plastic, and wood. Recycling means taking used items that would otherwise have been discarded and turning them into new products that can then be used by others. The most common methods of recycling include reusing old materials by making them into new products or sending them to be incinerated or composted. Some less common methods include dumping used items in landfill sites or burning them for fuel oil or electricity.