Why is everyone all of a sudden into recycling and preserving energy?

Question

Why is everyone all of a sudden into recycling and preserving energy?

Answer 1

GLOBAL WARMING AND DEFORASTATION

Answer 2

As most people only respond to issues that directly effect them, the fact that people are NOW doing more environmental actions is because they can see the impact that our abuse of Mother Earth has caused.  The ability for scientific evidence to be made entertaining by National Geographic, Steve Irwin (RIP), and other everyday icons has done wonders for people's environmental ethics. Having gas prices skyrocket also helped - people often notice blows to the pocketbook. When it was just scientists and tree huggers talking about what we, as a planet, needed to do - we were treated as if we were Chicken Little. I am very glad people are finally beginning to understand the problems (No thanks to our government).  I just hope it is not to late.

Answer 3

I have to agree with everyone here.  It is the fact that due to human selfishness (if that is even a word) we are taking away parts of the Earth, which is causing various repercussions, i.e. global warming.  Mary K said that she has been recycling for roughly 10 years, which is great.  I can remember as a child, going to the grocery store recycling cans, bottles, and newspapers, which was early 1980's.

Eco-tip: Printing E-Mails is Usually a Waste.

Answer 4

What is your definition of "all of a sudden?"  We just celebrated Earth Day, which started in 1970.

To answer your question, landfill space is at a premium and there is a mandate to reduce the amount of materials sent there, which can, in part, be achieved through well-designed recycling programs.  Also, people are in general better informed than they once were.  They know that the world population has grown, and more people are using often limited resources, so we much learn to use them more efficiently.

And then there's global climate change.  Anything we can do to preserve energy and generate carbon free energy is a step in the right direction.  The largest single source of carbon emissions in the U.S. is electricity production, at 39%, followed by transportation, at 32%.

In short, something has to give.  People that care help and become part of the solution.  People that don't?  They can drag us all down.

In any case, what we're doing isn't enough.  We need to redouble our efforts.

Answer 5

um, cuz we need to

Answer 6

The economies of China and India are ramping up, so  the price of oil is skyrocketing ... more spensy == try to use less...

Answer 7

People are finally starting to learn that our actions can impact the environment on which we rely for our survival.

Answer 8

Global Warming maybe?

Or maybe people just don't like running out of natural resources any more.

Either way its for the betterment of our global economy and global preservation.

Answer 9

Mary K is Right!!!...Bingo!..... We now have seen the light.

Answer 10

if you don't recycle there will be more garbage, garbage kills plants, plants breathe carbon dioxide (pollution)and breath out oxygen, each day we have more garbage, and less plants, less plants cause more pollution and pollution damages the ozone layer which keep the son from warming the planet, today the ozone layer is falling apart which warms up the planet(global warming) and now the ice in the poles(north and south poles) is melting, and that melted ice(water) goes straight to the ocean, and the sea level increases. if we don't recycle the sea level will keep increasing and in 10 years we wont have parts of Florida. Shanghai, china will be gone and all the islands in central America will be gone too. thats why

Answer 11

Actually, recycling and preserving energy are age-old practices that go back a looooooong time in human history.  Metalworkers from Roman times recycled scraps of metal from old broken weaponry to be used in new products, for example.

It's the throw-away society that is actually a fairly recent trend, and it is going out of style for obvious reasons.

Answer 12

Because it is finally comming to light how the planet is melting etc.  I've been recycling for along time now at least 10 yrs.  The town I live in gave us blue recycle cans & a paper bin.

Answer 13

It's not like this is a trend.  Being environmentally friendly should be a life style change.  It's not something people are "into."  The impact people are having on the Earth is huge and unprecedented.  Maybe do some reading on geological history to fully understand what is happening so you get the urgency.

Answer 14

I have been doing it for years, people just finally realize global warming is actually happening, and even if your a critic to global warming its good to recycle and preserve energy because it saves money (in the long run, organic food's expensive), keeps the air and water clean, a makes you feel like you're making a difference.