This discussion got me curious today. With the new recycling bins put in place and most households recycling more than they ever did, are we likely to see some sort of benefit from this huge investment.
For anyone curious - here are the facts and figures re: recycling:
- The unreleased energy contained in the average dustbin each year could power a television for 5,000 hours.
- 1 recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours.
- 1 recycled glass bottle would save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.
- 70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials.
- £36,000,000 worth of aluminium is thrown away each year.
Those are pretty absurd figures and I speak for my household and my friends households when I say that 90%+ of what is recyclable, I recycle.
Now that begs the question, should we receive an investment back? Less council tax? Cheaper electricity rates?
If ~5 million households recycled a year's worth of unreleased energy, the output would power a television for 25,000,000,000 hours. A 65 inch TV will
cost £0.02 - £0.03 to run per hour -> savings of £750,000,000.
Provided my maths is right - that is quite simply put - mega savings.
So this begs the question, if the council/government/companies are making mega savings through our 'forced-recycling' - should we be receiving something in return?
For anyone curious - here are the facts and figures re: recycling:
- The unreleased energy contained in the average dustbin each year could power a television for 5,000 hours.
- 1 recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours.
- 1 recycled glass bottle would save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.
- 70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials.
- £36,000,000 worth of aluminium is thrown away each year.
Those are pretty absurd figures and I speak for my household and my friends households when I say that 90%+ of what is recyclable, I recycle.
Now that begs the question, should we receive an investment back? Less council tax? Cheaper electricity rates?
If ~5 million households recycled a year's worth of unreleased energy, the output would power a television for 25,000,000,000 hours. A 65 inch TV will
cost £0.02 - £0.03 to run per hour -> savings of £750,000,000.
Provided my maths is right - that is quite simply put - mega savings.
So this begs the question, if the council/government/companies are making mega savings through our 'forced-recycling' - should we be receiving something in return?