National Recycling Day: Cleaning up Planet Earth

Recycling has been practiced since the dawn of humankind. Archaeological studies of early civilizations show us that in times of scarcity, people created less household waste. “Dustmen” of Victorian-era England collected coal ash to use in brick-making. In modern history, wartimes have highlighted humanity’s resourcefulness. Household metals were melted down to make bullets used in the revolutionary and civil wars, and locally-organized scrap metal drives during World War II helped outfit forces with weapons and artillery.

Fast-forwarding to today, global recycling efforts employ thousands of people, with some nations recycling over half of their waste. Although the numbers are promising, there is still much work to be done in reducing our waste output and environmental impact. This playlist lays out the consequences of pollution and highlights some of the cleanup efforts underway, as well as the bold strategies that must be adopted to ensure both our health and the health of the ecosystems worldwide.