I pass the trash can, then back up a few steps and halt, hit by the realization of how much waste that we generate in the US. Bottles, boxes, a full container of french fries, old socks and shoes, sticky food residue, a book, maybe someone's old CDs or high school research paper. Things that were used, maybe improving someone's life or causing happiness or distress. But now these things will never be seen again by anyone except the dirt and a few scavengers. These things will never be re-used and will take away from the resources that people have access to. Maybe even if there were a recycling bin, these things would end up in the trash because some people just don't care. As long as these things disappear, the problem is solved. But this is not the case. Adding to the collective pool of trash from millions of Americans, the materials are left to pile up, taking up space that people could be living in. Also, it causes pollution of the air and the land. And last, adding to these pits is just wasteful: disposing of things that could be recycled and put to good use for a second time. We as inhabitants of Earth have a duty to protect our planet by making the best of what it gives us and what we produce from it ourselves. We have a duty to recycle everything we can, limit our usage of resources, and use only things that are environmentally friendly. Though all these things will probably never happen, Americans can help Earth now by making an effort to recycle.

To Congress

Dear Congress,
     The population of the U.S. needs to take more effective measures in recycling. To make this happen, there needs to be a tax for anyone who throws away recyclable materials and uses and excess of non-recyclable materials. This will make the quality of life for people in the United States better and protect our planet.

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