The four things you will learn today

1. The world population is growing2. We need to use less materials and energy3. Recycling can help with (#2)4. The State of Utah has incentives to promote

recycling

Elisabeth Cohen, Governor’s Energy Advisor’s Office

Yesterday (January 23, 2009) 9:43 PM

6,755,848,475 people live on Earth!

The world population is increasing rapidly.

The U.S. is consuming more than necessary.

Our goal is to cut consumption!

This conclusion was reached in a comprehensive resource flow study of Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States titled Resource Flows: The Material Basis of Industrial Economies

Modern, industrial economies use 100,000-187,000 pounds

of natural resources per person per year

• How many grocery bags per week of stuff do you think you consume?

• The weekly per capita (person) equivalent of 300 grocery bags filled with materials.

Creating products takes Energy!

–We do not have much energy to spare–Currently, as the population grows,

demand for goods and energy grows–Most of Utah’s energy does not

come from renewable resources.• Utah’s renewable resources industry is

growing (wind, solar, geothermal, hydro power)

Can recycling help the planet?

–Instead of creating new products from scratch, recycling can help reduce energy consumption–Recycling paper reduces the need to

cut down trees to make paper products• The growth of forests helps to reduce

greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Recycling aluminum cuts energy use by 96% versus using virgin ore.

http://www.devon.gov.uk/recycle-metalani.gif

Recycling can help reduce the amount of energy we use!

• 120 million tons of materials are recycled in the United States every year – city or town programs– auto recycling– construction – demolition recycling

• The amount of energy saved by recycling is equal to the total electricity demand of the United States for almost 4 months.

How can we make recycling even better for the planet?

What Utah is doing to improve recycling in our state?

• Utah state income tax credit is given to those who purchase equipment that is part of the recycling process

• An example in Utah– Steel production (Brigham

City, UT)• We attract waste steel

Instead of crushing cars, it is more efficient to use the steel (74%) and cost effective to recycle the metal.

Image: http://www.worldsteel.org/gallery/albums/13/f0205e10eae0cc2ac7e0ae12d5eb7551.jpg

• Image: www.greentechnolog.com/recycle/

Incentives vs. mandates

Pros ConsIncentives(Example: Soda Cans)

Less expensivePeople approach gov’tCreates a market

People do not always take advantage of it or are not able to

Mandates(Example: Toxic Lake)

People have to do it The person who mandates something has to help pay to help people do it

Gov’t has to enforce this

Final thoughts

1. If everyone else on Earth consumed as much as we do in America, the Earth would not be able to sustain us.

2. Recycling helps reduce waste, but it can be improved.

3. The State of Utah has incentives for recycling.