Sixty percent of respondents in a 2009 survey done by NBC and the Associated Press on personal responsibility and the environment felt they had "a lot" or a "great deal" of personal responsibility for protecting the environment. Using renewable and recyclable resources is one way to limit your impact on the environment. However, not everyone is sure just what the difference is between the two. Both of these types of resources are preferable to resources that are neither renewable nor recyclable.
Features
According to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, or OECD, renewable resources are those that will be able to return to their previous levels after use through replenishment or regrowth. This includes trees, fish and other living natural resources. Renewable sources of energy include solar power, geothermal power, hydropower, biofuels and wind power, according to the Department of Energy.
Non-renewable resources are those that cannot be regenerated after use, such as petroleum and metals, at least not within the human lifetime.
Both renewable and non-renewable resources can be recyclable. Recyclable resources are those that can be broken down and turned into something else after their original usefulness is over. This includes many paper, plastic and metal items.
Significance
Using products that are made from renewable, recyclable or recycled materials lessens the amount of non-renewable, non-recyclable resources that are used, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. By choosing something made out of wood rather than petroleum products, you limit the amount of petroleum needed to create new products. Choosing recycled paper limits the need to cut down trees.
Identification
It is easy to identify products that are recyclable--most have a small recycling symbol on the bottom. This is a triangle made up of three arrows. According to Green Living Tips, the numbers inside the recycling symbol on plastic denote the type of plastic used in the manufacturing of the item. Check with your waste-management company to see which numbers they will accept.
To identify renewable resources, determine whether the materials used can be regrown or replenished. More trees can be grown within a relatively short time, but petroleum is a more limited resource.
Benefits
Using renewable and recyclable resources puts less strain on the environment and will help to make non-renewable resources last longer. Recycling reduced the amount of trash that must be dumped in landfills; and fewer natural resources will then be needed to make the products you buy. According to the EPA, using renewable and recyclable resources also helps to keep more jobs in the U.S., saves energy, and decreases greenhouse gases and pollution.
Considerations
When purchasing products that are made from renewable resources, choose those that contain recycled material or that are recyclable. Though these resources are renewable, they need to be managed well or they will become non-renewable resources, according to Eco-Pros. When water sources are contaminated, forests are clear cut or animals become extinct, these resources are no longer renewable.
Recycling takes some energy and resources, so limit the amount of materials you use even when you choose products made using renewable and recyclable resources.
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