Global Recycling Day
is the world’s foremost recycling celebration.
It was created in 2018 to help recognise, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources & securing the future of our planet.
Every year the Earth yields billions of tons of natural resources, & they are running out. That’s why we must think again about what we throw away, seeing not waste, but opportunity.
The last decade has been the hottest on record, & we are now facing a climate emergency of unparalleled proportions.
If we don’t make significant and rapid changes, we will see continued rising global temperatures, the melting of icecaps, continents on fire and rapid deforestation. This directly affects humanity with increased poverty, immigration from displaced communities, job losses, waste mountains and natural habitats disappearing.
It’s time for action!
Global Recycling Day (#GRD) was created by Ranjit Baxi BSc MBA FRSA, Founding President of the Global Recycling Foundation. It was Ranjit who coined the term the “Seventh Resource” for recycling, after the six major natural resources on Earth: water, air, coal, oil, natural gas and minerals. His mantra is: “Turn rubbish into raw materials.”
Recycling is a key part of the circular economy, helping to protect our natural resources. Each year this Seventh Resource saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions, projected to increase to 1 billion tons by 2030. There is no doubt recycling is on the frontline in the war to save the future of our planet and humanity.
The mission of #GRD, as set out by the Global Recycling Foundation, is twofold:
1. To tell world leaders that recycling is simply too important not to be a global issue, and that a common, joined-up approach to recycling is urgently needed.
2. To ask people across the planet to think resource, not waste, when it comes to the goods around us – until this happens, we simply won’t accord recycled goods the true value and repurpose they deserve.
Make lasting changes
We have the power to make lasting changes, and with recycling being recognised in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030, we are already seeing many individuals, governments and organisations taking direct action to support the global green agenda. Ranjit’s great success in engaging youth globally has been particularly impactful in Africa, with #GRD activities and celebrations taking place in nations including Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.
Every year Global Recycling Day recognises #RecyclingHeroes: the people, places and activities that showcase the vital role recycling plays in contributing to an environmentally stable planet and a greener future for all.