With the gradual consumption of the remaining fossil fuels, amounting landfill sites and strain on raw energy and manufacturing resources, it’s shocking to find that the United Kingdom has only recently begun the plunge into a recycling frenzy. Does this further prove our inability to give back to the earth as we continually take from it? Or is it another example of the narrow minded approach that past generations have had when it comes to helping care for future generation’s welfare.

The United Kingdom is one of Europe’s (and the world’s) largest consumer of natural resources, as well as being one of the largest refuse producers. On average in the United Kingdom one tonne of waste is produced per person per annum. However, only 11% of our waste is effectively recycled, this flails in comparison to neighbouring countries such as Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands who on average recycle 43% of their waste. Belgium and Austria lead the recycling race with a massive 52% and 64% (respectively) recycled trash, which is maintained by strategic city recycling plants. The real question that arises is how has Britain failed to install similar projects in order to help conserve the earth’s resources for future generations?

The United Kingdom’s failure to reach similar recycling rates is both a failure by its governments and inhabitants approach to waste management. The British government has only begun to install effective recycling strategies in recent years, with the installation of categorized waste recycle bins in homes across the U.K. Until recent years however no real mass recycling plans where implemented, due to the relative cost and effort needed to install such projects. The increasing pressure of population growth has thus increased rates of consumerism, forcing the government to finally institute a national recycling scheme. The initial solution of simply disposing waste in landfills across the country has given rise to lack of space, contaminated water (pipe leakage) and increased vermin infestation. The only step forward is to mass recycle our used goods. However the government has only set a meagre target of 30% recycled waste which isn’t enough to cope with the mass growth of population.

There is also blame to be laid on the British inhabitants, whose lack of a positive recycling approach has led to pollution crises. The majority of British people don’t fully comprehend the importance in recycling, and it is this laid back approach that has caused the rapid decay in the earth’s resources. Many find it a chore and take the approach ‘It won’t affect me so why should I bother?’ It is this attitude that has really led to the unacceptably low levels of recycling. If an approach like this is continued by the majority then future generations will suffer from mass world pollution and strain on the basic natural resources needed to live.

In order to change the rate at which resources are used up, we need to change the attitudes of both the government and the mass population. It is vital that we begin to follow other leading nations in the E.U such as Austria and implement effective recycling schemes. It is also important that the mind set towards recycling is seen as a positive and necessary part of everyday life. For example, prior to there being bins, people just dumped garbage in the streets. Then when the crisis arose of streets being filled with garbage, people realised the solution was to collect all of this garbage and store it in one place. It is now time to stop just collecting this garbage and to begin sorting and reusing materials that can be recycled, before another crisis like the plague sweeps the nation.

It’s time people realised that their contribution, however small (such as the simple task of taking their empty bottles to a bottle bank), can make the world of difference. If each person recycled a tonne of paper a year, which is not that much considering all the newspapers we read, then this could result in the conservation of 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy and 7000 gallons of water! Isn’t it amazing how much of a difference the smallest effort can make?