There may be no more debated issue in recent years than climate change. While some may choose to ignore its existence, the evidence is too overwhelming to overlook. Besides just harmful emissions of fossil fuels filling up the air, one of the largest factors impacting the environment is the placement of non-biodegradable materials into landfills.

Some examples of materials that should be recycled, are metal objects, plastics, and cardboard. Unfortunately, there are vast amounts of these materials being thrown into landfills all the time.

Not only does this introduce hazardous chemicals to ecosystems, but also requires more space taken from natural habitats by expanding landfills. Recycling one ton of cardboard, which isn’t as much as it sounds if many Americans were to recycle, can save more than nine cubic yards of landfill space.

People may also be surprised at how much money recycling can save on disposal costs. Even though recycling involves more extensive processes than simply throwing away trash, on average, it costs around $30 per ton to recycle trash, while it takes $50 per ton to send it to a landfill. Over the span of an entire country, that could substantially reduce national spending.

For those who see going out of their way to recycle as just another chore, whether due to hectic jobs or simply busy day-to-day tasks, recycling services are readily available for most areas around the United States. Almost everyone makes use of residential and commercial garbage pickup services, and recycling can require little more than putting a second bin at the end of the driveway. An estimated 87% of Americans currently have access to curbside or drop-off paper recycling services and many others who can pickup a number of different recyclables.

Reducing individual impacts on the environment can be far easier than many may expect. If you are already using a trash removal company, simply add recycling services to your route.