Recycling: Lessons from the Aluminum Can

As most people are trying to integrate more and more green practices in their everyday lives, I think it might be useful to look at some success stories.  One of these is aluminum cans.  The first aluminum beverage cans were made in the 1930′s, enabling people to consume and transport various beverages (I think the first was for beer).  But, aluminum production has always been an expensive and energy intensive process, resulting in some clever steps on the part of the aluminum industry and consumers.  From the design of the original, thinner and thinner cans were made that used up less aluminum.  And, realizing that there was tremendous value in recycled aluminum, (a can made from 100% recycled aluminum, saves about 95% of energy used in making the can from non-recycled inputs), the recycling movement developed.

Today, it is estimated about half of aluminum cans are recycled and the aluminum industry depends on recycled aluminum as an integral part of its production process.  Formal recycling programs and services have been created.  There are a number of practices that the aluminum can story can tell us about our approach to recycling different types of products:

Think of the recycled material as valuable — aluminum cans have a recycle cash value that creates an incentive for many people to save the cans or deposit them into a recycling bin.  By assigning a specific cash value, most consumers are aware of the value they are throwing away.  Although a number of non-aluminum recyclables have a cash return value (such as glass bottles), it is useful to shift the thinking of a non-cash recyclable item toward that of a value to be preserved rather than discarded (like paper and cardboard).

Provide specific places for the recycled items — where we live, municipal services provides separate bins for different types of recycled materials.  By having these designated bins in offices and schools, I find this makes recycling much easier.

Learn about the value of recycling — did you know that a recycled aluminum can takes only 5% the energy to produce compared to a non-recycled can.  Up until a few months ago, I didn’t, but the more I learn about green practices, the more interesting the facts, statistics, and science behind them become.

Get others involved in recycling — I have a few colleagues that are quite passionate about recycling, and their enthusiasm is infectious.  Making recycling a group (or family) effort is a good way to get everyone involved.

shared at Works for Me Wednesday