Recycling one glass jar saves enough electricity to light a conventional 60-watt bulb for four hours or an 11-watt compact fluorescent bulb for 20 hours.

Making glass from recycled material cuts related water pollution by 50 percent.

Five plastic soda bottles yield enough fiber for one extra large T-shirt, one square foot of carpet, or enough fiber fill for one ski jacket. NRC – the Conversionator

In 2006, Twin Cities residents recycled over 270,000 tons of plastic, metal, and glass, which resulted in a greenhouse gas emissions reduction equal to that of removing over 125,000 cars from our roads. NRC Calculator

Every three months, Americans landfill enough aluminum to rebuild the entire United States commercial air fleet.

Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV or computer for three hours.

It takes 95 percent less energy to recycle aluminum than it does to make it from raw materials. Making recycled steel results in a 60 percent energy savings, making recycled plastic results in a 70 percent energy savings, and making recycled glass results in a 40 percent energy savings.

The plastic recycling industry provides jobs for more than 52,000 Americans.

In 2006, plastic, metal, and glass recycling in the Twin Cities reduced air pollution by more than 335,000 tons and water pollution by more than 1,250 tons.

The average person has the opportunity to recycle more than 25,000 cans in a lifetime. At six ounces of gasoline energy savings per recycled aluminum can, that represents a potential to save the energy contained in nearly 1,200 gallons of gasoline!

Americans bought 2.5 million TVs for the 2007 Super Bowl. That’s up from 1.7 million bought for the 2006 Super Bowl. National Retail Federation

Worldwide PC sales are projected to total 255.7 million units in 2007, a 10.5 percent increase from 2006. Gartner, Inc.

The average lifespan of personal computers has fallen from 4.5 years in 1992 to an estimated 2 years in 2005. EPA

In 2006, counties in the Twin Cities metro-area collected more than 5 million pounds of electronics waste from households for recycling. Cities in the region collected an additional 700,000 pounds. SWMCB 2006 Annual Results Report

In just one year, more than 112 million pounds of valuable materials were recovered from disposed electronics for recycling and reuse. Materials recovered include steel, glass, plastic and precious metals. Earth 911

Electronic equipment contains heavy metals and other materials that can become hazardous to human health and the environment if they are not properly managed. These include cadmium, lead, and mercury. Earth 911

In 2005, US households generated 2.6 million tons of electronics waste. Only 12.6% of this amount was recycled, according to the EPA. EPA

Experts estimate that the average household is storing two to three old televisions and computers. EPA

Electronics waste already constitutes 2% to 5% of US household garbage and is the fastest growing municipal waste stream in the US. EPA

To manufacture one computer and monitor, it takes 530 pounds of fossil fuels, 48 pounds of chemicals, and 1.5 tons of water; totaling more than the weight of a rhinoceros. Environment Alert Bulletin, United Nations Environment Programme

Recycled cardboard is used to make new boxes, cereal boxes and other paper packaging. It can even be used to make paper backing for shingles. It’s a bit more work to break those boxes down to fit in the bin, but it’s worth it.

Trying to figure out which boxes from the kitchen can be recycled can be confusing. A quick tip: if the product can be stored in the cupboard it’s recyclable. If it goes in the fridge, freezer or microwave it shouldn’t be recycled.

Recycling impacts many important environmental issues of our day, including global warming. In 2006, metro-area residents recycled 1.3 million tons of waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road. Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board (SWMCB)

About two million tons of magazines and catalogs are produced each year in the U.S., but only about 32% of that is recycled . Magazines, catalogs, and other glossy papers are recyclable – add them to your bins!

In Minnesota, the recycling industry creates more than 19,000 jobs and creates $3.48 billion in gross economic activity every year . Recycling helps your community in many ways. RAM

A piece of paper can be recycled seven to fifteen times before the fibers get too short for making paper. Those fibers are collected and sold to farmers as an additive for enriching the soil.

About 21 percent of Minnesota’s household garbage is recyclable paper. Don’t forget to recycle your mail, office and school paper, magazines and catalogs, cardboard and other boxes, like cereal boxes, shoe boxes and toothpaste boxes.

Every Puffs tissue box is made at the Rock-Tenn Co. facility in St. Paul, often out of your reclaimed telephone books.

Twin Cities metro area residents recycle almost 1 million pounds of paper every single day.

Recycling paper doesn’t just save trees! Production of recycled paper uses 80 percent less water, 65 percent less energy and produces 95 percent less air pollution than paper production using raw materials.

Some people don’t recycle their mail because they are concerned about protecting their identity. However, mail and other papers are no safer in the trash. If you shred your paper, you can still recycle it. Place it in a closed paper bag and label it “shredded paper.”

A newspaper is recycled and back in circulation in less than four weeks. Don’t forget that you can recycle the inserts along with the newspaper!

In 2003, 5,750,000 trees did not get cut down because of paper recycling in Minnesota. Recycling Association of Minnesota (RAM)

The average American household receives about 50 pounds of unsolicited mail each year. Be sure to recycle your unwanted mail, including glossy and colored papers. You can also recycle envelopes with windows.

Twenty years ago, only one curbside recycling program existed in the United States. As of 2005, over 9,000 curbside recycling programs existed in the U.S . In 2006, Minnesota topped the nation with the highest number of curbside programs. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency & RAM

Every year, $85 million worth of recyclables are thrown away in Minnesota. It costs the State $45 million to disposing of those discarded recyclables.

186,400 of tons of recyclable paper is thrown away each year by residents in the Twin Cities metro area.

When deciding which food boxes are recyclable, a good guide to remember is: If a box can be stored in the cupboard, it is recyclable. If it goes in the refrigerator, freezer, or microwave, it is not. The wax that makes refrigerator, freezer, and microwavable boxes water-resistant poses a problem for recycling.

Recycled paper supplies more than 37% of the raw materials used to make new paper products in the U.S. There is an ever growing demand, so every bit counts.