Why should recycling be mandatory for people?

Our planet provides us with all the resources so that we can live on it, but these are finite and
for this reason, it is necessary to reduce their consumption. However, our society and part of
the governments in the world have become aware of the environmental problems caused by
an organic material, known as plastic. Given this situation, they have taken the recycling
strategy as an alternative, however, I consider that this process is not entirely efficient at the
time of carrying out its execution. The United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment (1972), specified in its principle 19: Educational work on environmental issues
is essential, aimed at both young generations and adults inspired by the sense of their
responsibility for the protection and improvement of the environment in all its human
dimension (p. 4). Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to define the reasons why recycling
should be mandatory for people since this allows us to address the issue urgently. For this
reason, recycling should be mandatory for people to conserve energy, save raw materials, and
preserve the environment.

First, energy conservation helps to reduce the carbon footprint in the earth. In particular, we
would have less air pollution. As a result, according to the World Health Organization
(WHO), our cardiovascular and respiratory health will be better the lower the level of this
type of pollution, something to keep in mind if we think about the type of air we are
breathing every day. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that if we recycle, we reduce the
work of extracting, transporting, and manufacturing new raw materials, which entails a
significant reduction in the use of the energy necessary to carry out these processes. As a
consequence, lower energy consumption generates less CO2 and reduces the greenhouse
effect. In other words, recycling at home means helping the planet and contributing to the
fight against climate change. Therefore, saving energy helps reduce this impact and helps
combat the effects of global warming and climate change.

Another important argument is that recycling helps save raw materials. Extracting raw
materials from the environment is expensive and also consumes a lot of water and energy.
However, when we recycle, we give a new life to materials such as glass, paper, or plastic,
therefore we do not have to use new raw materials to manufacture products. So, we extract
less, thereby conserving many of our natural resources, such as trees, water, oil, and metals.
For instance, According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO), a tree can capture up to 150 kg of CO2 annually. Thus, forests act as filters for small
urban particles, and large surfaces of trees, and consequently mitigate climate change.
Therefore, with this background, we can say that saving raw materials could reduce the rate
of pollution that exists in the world.

Third and above all, recycling is essential to preserve the environment for us and for future
generations. Environmental pollution increases every day throughout the planet and one of
the main causes is the large amounts of plastic waste that are produced and improperly
disposed of by people. If the current trends that people have continued and solutions are not
considered that improve the current patterns of production, consumption, or sustainable use
of current resources, then the state of the global environment will continue to deteriorate.
Additionally, it is essential that we understand the speed of environmental change upon us
and that we begin to work with nature rather than against it to address the wide variety of
environmental threats we face. As a result, the Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador has
taken control and monitoring actions for the management and final disposal of non-hazardous
solid waste, to contribute to the environment and improve the quality of life, as indicated by
the Constitution in one of its objectives: guarantee the rights of nature and promote a healthy
and sustainable environment. In consequence, people who do not recycle can be financially
fined so that they become aware of the impact they are causing on the planet. However, some
may argue against the disadvantages of making recycling mandatory.

According to people who do not recycle, one of the reasons is that they emphasize that
recycling does not make a difference and they decide not to make any effort as there is a lot
of misinformation about resource depletion and climate change that has led them to be
convinced not to recycle. Also, some people don't have enough space in their homes to put
the different recycling bins. Moreover, there are countries that currently fine financially for
not recycling and this has led people to refute because it directly affects the economy of their
homes. However, it is a good alternative for people to become aware of the different benefits
of recycling. For example, It not only generates a positive environmental but also a social
impact, since it benefits different vulnerable communities. There are foundations that collect
plastic bottle caps to help children with severe health difficulties.Therefore, it is a good
implementation so that our future generations can get to enjoy a green and blue planet.

In conclusion, the main reasons why recycling should be mandatory for everyone is to
conserve energy, save raw materials and preserve the environment. It is a very difficult
position for governments that begin to financially sanction their citizens, but it is a very
effective measure since it is essential that people begin to become aware and take care of the
planet. In addition, another alternative is that each government has the objective of building
recycling plants that use renewable energies, since it is absolutely viable economically and
environmentally. Without a doubt, small actions contribute to big changes for the impact we
cause to the environment. Every possible thing should be made to conserve our resources and
improve the living conditions of future generations.