THE ISSUE
Recycling is to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse. Take the amount of trash you produce in one day (both at home and at work), multiply that by about 300 million, and that’s the amount of trash the United States produces in a single day. It’s just simple math but the result is astounding. There has been constant pressure by environmentalists, and simply those just interested in our future, to change the “wasteful” mentality of American culture. Although the mentality has changed slowly, the definition of recycling waste has changed somewhat drastically, due to a change in the understanding of recyclables. Today, even the use of biodegradable goods is now considered a part of recycling simply because long-term waste is not created. Recyclable products consist of glass, paper, metal, textiles, and plastic. In order for recycling to be economically viable, there must be a steady supply of recyclates and a constant demand for the reprocessed goods. This can be done through local, state, and federal level legislation. There’s no doubt that although using recycled goods may be beneficial for our future, if using them is not economically feasible in the present, few people will care about the future regarding this issue.

THEBRIEF HISTORY
The practice of recycling has actually existed for most of human of history. Advocates of the practice have been recorded as far back as Plato’s time. The main drive for recycling has been the economic advantage of obtaining recyclables as well as public waste removal. The same reality exists today. A significant part of recycling is altering the approach with the changing times and items. Paper recycling began in Britain in 1921, when the British Waste Paper Association was established to encourage trade in waste paper recycling. Even after the World Wars, every country encouraged their citizens to donate metals to the military to be recycled. Many of those programs were continued after the war efforts were long gone, especially in nations where natural resources are limited. In the USA, the next big investment in recycling occurred in the 1970s, due to rising energy costs (recycling aluminum uses only 5% of the energy required by virgin production; glass, paper and metals have less dramatic but very significant energy savings when recycled feedstock is used). Later, the passage of the Clean Water Act of 1977 in the U.S. created strong demand for bleached paper (office paper whose fibre has already been bleached white increased in value as water effluent became more expensive). Legislation has varied over time yet all have been created as “procurement policies,” in which a certain amount of money is set aside for recycling programs. None of the federal U.S. policies, however, have consisted of regulative penalties.

HERE IN WISCONSIN
Currently, every state resident has access to a community recycling program, and fully 94% of Wisconsin households report participating in these programs and 93% feel that it is worthwhile. 58% of Wisconsin households recycle at least as much as they did two years ago, and 32% are recycling more now. Over half report composting yard waste and 73% leave grass clippings on their lawns. The State has taken efforts to ensure that recyclables are collected properly and are maintained at “responsible units” (RUs). Each RU in Wisconsin is required to maintain an approved effective recycling program as defined in s. 287.11 Wis Stats and the NR 540 series of Wisconsin Administrative Code. The designation of an effective recycling program is significant because it determines a local government's ability to landfill or incinerate municipal solid waste in Wisconsin and its eligibility for state recycling grant funds. If a RU does not maintain an effective recycling program, no individual, business or institution within that jurisdiction can legally dispose of municipal solid waste in Wisconsin. Currently, all of the responsible units in Wisconsin have approved effective recycling programs. Since July 1, 1990, over $370 million in recycling grants has been distributed to eligible project sponsors. Funding for these grant programs comes partially from the State landfill tipping fee of ­$3/ton effective January 1, 2002 ­ and partially from a surcharge on businesses. Appointed by the Governor, the Council on Recycling (COR) is a citizens group created to advise the Governor, legislature, and state agencies on solid waste reduction, recovery and recycling policy. The Council is attached to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for limited purposes and is administered by the DNR. Current membership includes individuals representing industry, business and local units of government. Wisconsin Clean Sweep was created in 2003 by the merger of the Agricultural Clean Sweep Program and the Household Hazardous Waste Grant Program. The program is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and uses money from the Recycling Fund to provide grants to counties, cities, towns, regional planning commissions, and other municipalities. Grants can be provided for temporary or one-day collections, and permanent facilities or continuous collections. Wisconsin Clean Sweep allows local governments to collect agricultural, residential, and business hazardous wastes with the aid of grant funds. Aside from the various programs and incentives to recycle in Wisconsin, the State falls short in participation and costs compared to many other states in the union. It our responsibility to change the mentality of other Wisconsinites and Wisconsin governments to enact further recycling programs.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Cleaning up the State involves individuals cleaning up their mindset. First, you can do some minimal research on the issue to see what you can do to improve your recycling habits. There are plenty of easy ways you can be more knowledgeable about recycling as a citizen and a consumer – both at home and at work. The next step is to identify the organizations that can help you with your efforts. You would be surprised how many organizations are out there specifically designed to address recycling! Lastly, critically address what local and state governments are doing to make sure our backyards do not turn into waste dumps. If everyone becomes a little more aware of this situation, the State of Wisconsin will certainly become one of the cleanest, most-desirable states to live.