Completing the Cycle: Goods Made from Recycled Materials

The environmental movement has succeeded in a bigbenches; meanwhile individuals committed to recycling
way over the past three decades, making recycling anare taking the issue into their own hands and building
almost universal practice in the United States. Even so,homes with materials scavenged from old barns and
consumer purchase of goods manufactured fromhouses.
recycled materials, while growing, has lagged behind.Recycling may be about to take another leap forward
Most newspapers sold in the U.S. today contain only ainto the consciousness of the American public. With
small percentage, if any, recycled content, and whilegas prices spiking once again, people are beginning to
paper manufacturers like Great White produce copydiscuss energy independence and alternative fuels,
paper with a large recycled content, most consumersincluding ethanol and biodiesel. Both have the option of
continue to buy paper goods made from forestedbeing manufactured from discarded matter - ethanol,
wood materials rather than opting for recycled content.from wheat chaff and other cellulose-based material,
There are some manufacturers, however, who areand biodiesel from used cooking oil - McDiesel, so to
making significant progress in using recycled materialsspeak!
is a soft, pliant, color-fast material made entirely fromWho knows? With the political and environmental
recycled plastic soda bottles, and has been fashionedissues bringing alternative fuels to the forefront, it may
into a wide variety of goods including shopping bags,spark another, wide discussion, and the general public
tote bags, winter parkas, and even pet beds.may end up more interesting in completing the cycle
Aluminum and steel are being recycled into parkby buying recycled consumer goods.