1. Recycling saves trees. Half the Earth's forests are gone, and up to 95 percent

of the original forest area in the U.S. has been cut down.

2. Recycling protects wildlife habitat and biodiversity. Using recycled materials reduces the need to extract natural resources such as timber, crude petroleum

and mineral ores.

3. Recycling reduces the use of toxic chemicals. Making products from

already refined waste materials reduces -- and often avoids altogether -- the need

for manufacturers to use toxic chemicals, essential when using virgin materials.

4. Recycling helps curb global warming. Recycling one ton of glass results in energy savings of more than 300% and lowers carbon dioxide emissions by 3.46 tons

5. Recycling reduces water pollution. Turning trees into paper is the most water intensive industrial process in the United States. Paper recycling mills nearly always

use less water and they don't pollute the water nearly as much.

6. Recycling reduces the need for landfills. Toxic pollution from landfills --

including cyanide, dioxins, mercury, methane, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and

lead -- escapes into the air and leaches into groundwater.

7. Recycling reduces the need for incinerators. Municipal waste incinerators

spew out all kinds of air pollutants, and are often located in urban neighborhoods.

8. Recycling creates jobs and promotes economic development. The Texas

Natural Resources Conservation Commission found that recycling added about

$18.5 billion in value to the economies of 12 Southern states and Puerto Rico in

1995.