Plastic Recycling Facts I Learned at the Aquarium

My family went to the Aquarium of the Pacific last weekend in Long Beach, California. It was the first time my daughter has ever been there. We had a great time looking, feeling, and learning about marine life of all kinds. My daughter in particular loved the jellyfish and sea horses. I had never seen a real seahorse before myself. It was pretty fascinating.

There was a section near the shark where you could make it rain and learn about supply and demand and recycling water and other materials. In particular, some facts we read about recycling plastic caught my eye… and mind!

Here are Plastic Recycling Facts I Learned While Visiting the Aquarium:

• Save sea turtle and recycle plastic bags. Plastic bags resemble sea jellies, a favorite food of sea turtles.
• Save a tree! Recycled plastic bags can be used to make plastic lumber for playground equipment and decks.
• Take-out packaging that enters the ocean does not disappear. It can break up into small pieces that fish and other animals mistake for food. Recycle properly and dispose of trash.
• Recycle your plastics. They can be made into new food and beverage containers and many other products such as fleece jackets, tote bags, carpeting, and garden products.
• The energy saved from recycling one plastic bottle is equal to the amount of energy used to power your desktop computer for twenty five minutes.
• The material recovered from just 14 20 ounce beverage bottles is enough to make one extra-large polyester fleece.
• Transporting lighter plastics is better for the environment than moving heavier materials. Less weight means less fuel and a smaller carbon footprint.

Recycle every plastic bottle that you use. They are too valuable to waste and the recycling industry needs them!