Recycling can significantly help reduce climate change. Recycling uses much less energy than acquiring virgin materials from the ground or from trees, and reprocessing them into new goods. In addition, recycling does not have the notable environmental impact of mining or cutting down of trees. The following table is reproduced from the Recycling Council of BC website and based on data from the August/September 2006 issue of the Solid Waste and Recycling Magazine.
| Energy Use: Virgin Inputs versus Recycling Inputs |
| Product |
Energy for Virgin Inputs (GJ/Tonne) |
Energy for Recycled Inputs (GJ/Tonne) |
Reduction in Energy by Recycling |
| Aluminum |
64.19 |
6.18 |
90% |
| Cardboard |
30.93 |
12.78 |
59% |
| Glass |
6.00 |
4.2 |
30% |
| Newspaper |
14.11 |
8.35 |
41% |
| Plastic #1 |
62.21 |
6.00 |
90% |
| Plastic #2 |
33.25 |
6.00 |
82% |
| Steel/Tin |
22.67 |
9.30 |
59% |