Earth Day has been celebrated for almost 50 years as a way to promote environmental protection. People in the U.S. and across the world come together to learn about eco-friendly practices, improve the environment, and participate in trash and metal recycling. Here are a few interesting facts about the holiday.

5 Fun Facts About Earth Day & Recycling 

1. Earth Day's Founding

The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. Senator Gaylord Nelson introduced the initiative as a way to protest the industrial revolution and spark a movement for a cleaner, healthier world. Over 20 million people participated, and it led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

2. A Worldwide Phenomenon

Earth Day may have gotten its start in America; however, today’s participants come from across the globe to reduce waste and conserve energy. The United Nations officially lists this holiday as International Mother Earth Day.

3. A Variety of Traditions

Along with participating in plastic, paper, and metal recycling, there are dozens of ways to celebrate Earth Day. Schools focus on teaching children about the environment, hosting enriching activities like tree planting. Some people agree to ride bicycles instead of driving to reduce emissions. Park and beach cleanups are also common ways to volunteer and get involved.

4. Making a Difference

While it may seem like a drop in the bucket of climate change and environmental pollution, your recycling efforts can make a difference. For example, metal recycling uses just a fraction of the natural resources compared to making the same products from raw materials. Thanks to the efforts of Americans, scrap metal in this country has an extremely high recycling rate; for steel, 86% was recycled in 2014.

5. Helping the Economy

Not only does recycling benefit the environment, but it also creates jobs and revenue. Recycled materials are easier to process; this makes manufacturing less expensive and keeps product costs down for everyone.

If you're looking for a site to handle your metal recycling needs, choose the Metalico Rochester scrapyard. With two locations in Rochester and one in Bergen, NY, they offer metal recycling, junk removal, and used car parts. They pride themselves on their transparent, fair pricing. For questions, call (585) 436-0713 or reach out online.