Recycle or Landfill

Why recycle you ask? Well, maybe how long somthing takes to decompose in a landfill is answer enough. The Tree Hugging Family posted some figures the other day that really make you think and will hopefully inspire you to take some action to go green.

How long will it take to decompose…
Recycle Signage - Recycle Symbol
Cotton rags = 1 to 5 months
Paper = 2 to 5 months
Rope = 3 to 14 months
Orange peels = 6 months
Wool socks = 1 to 5 years
Cigarette butts = 1 to 12 years
Plastic coated paper milk cartons = 5 years
Leather shoes = 25 to 40 years
Nylon fabric = 30 to 40 years
Tin cans = 50 to 100 years
Aluminum cans = 80 to 100 years
Plastic 6-pack holder rings = 450 years
Glass bottles = 1 million years
Plastic bottles = Forever

Also, to learn more about how scientists date the decomposition process read Will My Plastic Bag Still Be Here in 2507. Super awesome article!

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11 Comments on “Recycle or Landfill”

  • James Redman November 8th, 2007 8:37 am

    We’re a totally green family, all the way! My wife & I are absolutley committed to not wasting one sheet of paper unless it can be recycled. We constantly dig through our own household trash to make sure we filter out anything that can be recycled or reused. Having the Chesapeake Bay literally in our back yard, we can see the harmful effects that we all contributed too over the decades, on our natural resources. But it doesn’t have to stay that way, and if each of us did a very small part, like buying green-friendly home products, to reduce the harmfuls chemicals that seep into the ground water and eventually into the Bay & Oceans, not only will out homes be healthier but the entire plant too.

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  • Halloween Costumes August 29th, 2008 6:32 pm

    Great job! I love how easily you convey your information and make it such a quick read!

  • halley March 15th, 2009 2:32 pm

    woww.! amazin you helped me do my report

  • green dumpsters May 5th, 2009 12:26 pm

    pretty useful information. Thanks! i like teh green theme of the site too. well done.

  • scottish power August 24th, 2009 5:47 am

    Great post but i feel exceptionally guilty now. Ive lost count off the amount of socks and shoes that ive chucked out over the years! (before the ‘green enlightenment’) – i must have contributed several thousand years of decompostion time – sorry Planet Earth, im trying to make up for it now!

  • Green Man October 27th, 2009 3:46 pm

    Wow I didn’t know plastic bottles never decompose, you learn a new thing every day!

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