Which sentences from the passage support the claim that humans are wasteful?
Recycling Works
People should recycle as much of their trash as possible. To recycle means to make something new from something that has been
used before. For example, old plastic bags can be used to make pipes. People are in the habit of using items once and then disposing
of them. Studies show that each American throws away 3-4 % pounds of trash a day. People throw away glass, metal, plastic, and
paper that could be recycled. Where does this trash end up? Some of it is burned. Most of it ends up in landfills. In fact, about 230
million tons of trash are sent to landfills every year. The United States is running out of room for all of this trash. Within the next 10
years, many of the country's landfills will be full.
When people recycle, less waste ends up in landfills. Recycling also keeps forests from being cut down. For every 13,600 tons of
paper that is recycled, 231,200 trees are saved. Another benefit of recycling is that it saves energy. Recycling plastic takes less energy
than making new plastic. Also, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) found that using recycled waste to make new paper results
in 74% less air pollution and 35% less water pollution. Before someone throws something in the trash, he or she should check to see if
it can be recycled. If people make an effort to recycle, they can keep tons of trash out of landfills.