The Youth of South Africa take recycling very seriously and by focusing on the stats, we can see that there is a very bright (and green) future ahead.
Children today are leaders tomorrow and there has been a growing number of children learning all about the importance of recycling. They focus on making our planet safer, cleaner and greener far more than before. Schools teach the importance of recycling in schools and many children rely on it to support their needs.
The Glass Recycling Company (TGRC) recently conducted a thorough and in-depth analysis among the youth of South Africa about both glass recycling and keeping the environment clean. Results showed that:
- 74% of youths between the ages of 15 and 34 recycle all their glass bottles and jars. It was also encouraging to note that 84% of youths across the country recycle in general.
- 63% of the youth aged 15 to 20 believe South Africa is doing enough to ensure a clean environment in the future, while 65% of those aged 21 to 35 believe so as well.
- 56% of South Africa’s youth feel that they are motivated to recycle their glass bottles and jars in order to help keep the environment clean, whereas 33% are motivated to save the environment for their own children.
- The highest percentage of youth wanting a cleaner environment with no litter are based in KwaZulu Natal (58%), with Gauteng coming in a close second at 57%.
- 46% separate their glass bottles and jars by putting it out for recyclers, of which 56% are based in Gauteng.
- 28% of South Africa’s youth take glass bottles and jars to be recycled, either by dropping it at a glass bank or selling their glass to a buy-back centre. The highest percentage of youth that do so are based in KwaZulu Natal (37%).
- 26% of youths return their bottles to a store or shebeen, with those residing in the Eastern Cape leading the way on 37%.
- 59% of youths believe “everyone in SA will have clean water in the future.”
Did you know that recycling not only prevents waste from being sent to a ‘waste graveyard or landfill’, but it has numerous benefits such as:
- Saves energy – Making glass from raw materials or for the first time compared to making it from a recycled glass bottle or jar uses moreenergy.
- Reduces pollution – Glass produced from recycled glass bottles or jars reduces related air pollution by 20% and related water pollution by 50%.
- Saves scarce landfill space – Recycling glass bottles and jars extend the lifespan of landfills.
- Recycling conserves natural resources – For every ton of recycled glass used in the manufacturing of new glass packaging, 1.2 tons of non-renewable natural resources are saved.
Therefore each of us really needs to consider our role in ensuring a cleaner and healthier planet for future generations. We can all do this by recycling!
TGRC urges you to start recycling today and drop off all your glass bottles and jars at your closest glass bank. You can locate a glass recycling bank here.
And if you are interested in seeing what your recycling efforts can achieve, have a look using TGRC’s energy calculator here.
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