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South Africa: Recycling Can Help Alleviate Energy Crisis
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
7 February 2008
Posted to the web 7 February 2008
Cape Town
Recycling can play a major role in alleviating the country's energy crisis, says a senior Cape Town official, with eye-opening statistics to back up this claim.
Councillor Clive Justus, Chairperson of the City of Cape Town's Utility Services Portfolio Committee, says the unreleased energy contained in the average dustbin each year could power a television set for up to 5 000 hours.
"An estimated 512 homes could be electrified by the amount of energy saved from a year of paper recycling. "It is within every resident's reach to recycle and thus help the city to achieve its goal of reducing electricity consumption by 10 percent," he said.
He provided a few easy tips which could contribute towards recycling and saving. "Firstly, buy products with minimal packaging material. On average, 16 percent of the price pays for the packaging material which ultimately ends up as rubbish. Apart from saving money, we can reduce waste.
"Products made from recycled material are generally more expensive, but if everybody starts buying these, we can create a viable market for such products and thus lower prices. It is very easy to compost non-recyclable organic waste. Studies have shown that as much as 50 percent of waste in the average dustbin could be turned into compost. By composting organic waste, people can enrich the city's soil and even grow their own vegetables and fruit.
"Consumers can then furthermore contribute to recycling by preserving fruit and vegetables in glass containers and even start home industries," he said. For each ton of paper recycled, the city can save three square metres of landfill space. It will also save 17 pine trees, cut water consumption by 50 percent, and reduce waste water by 35 percent. "There are three easy words to constantly remind us that each individual can make a difference.
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"These are: reduce, re-use and recycle. By implementing these simple principles everybody can contribute to recycling, energy saving and in the long run alleviate the energy crisis in the country," Councillor Justus said.
Aerosol can recycling hasn't only saved companies thousands of dollars in disposal costs but greatly cuts down energy levels as well. Check out Aerosolv, the only certified technology of its type has punctured over 60 million aerosol cans. It would do WONDERS for your recycling initiatives. For more info including SUCCESS stories and to see it in use, go to www.aerosolv.com.
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