Semester Essay #3 "Carpooling, Recycling, and Planting trees..."

     A wonderful thing to do in life is to take care of your environment. Carpooling, recycling, and planting trees are all activities that are good for the environment. Carpooling would not only save money on gas, but it would also lower the pollution in the air. Recycling is good for the environment by redirecting waste to serve as raw materials for industry, recycling provides a number of important benefits. Planting trees in your neighborhood really is one of the best things you can do for the local environment and for the planet.
     Carpooling, also known as ride-sharing or lift-sharing can save big bucks on gas, wear and tear on our vehicle, oil resources and reduce all the associated nasty environmental impact associated with driving. When people drive to work, they have room for other passengers. Have you ever noticed how many others around you are driving on their own? In Australia, 83% of people who drive work or study in 2003 did not have a passenger. In the USA, single occupant commuting is around 75% according to census data. There are millions of people who engage in solitary travel to and from work. People drive billions of miles each year, spend a stack of cash on gas and pumping tons of emissions into the atmosphere. A small car emits around .59 pound of carbon dioxide per mile. A medium car emits 1.1 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile. A SUV/4 wheel emits around 1.57 pounds of carbon dioxide per mile.
     Recycling provides a number of important benefits such as, reducing pollution and conserving natural resources. It saves energy by reducing the need to extract and process raw materials to manufacture new products. It also reduces greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide and recycling stimulates the development of greener technologies. It cost at least three times more to dump trash in landfills than it cost to reuse and recycle. Whether you manage a one million square foot Manhattan commercial property or own a small retail business, you can benefit from a recycling waste removal and recycling program.
     Planting trees in your neighborhood is a great thing for the environment and the planet. Trees can provide oxygen and remove carbon dioxide and contaminants from the air. Trees are like the lungs of the planet. They provide habitat for birds and other wildlife. CO2 is one of the major contributing elements to the greenhouse effect. Trees trap CO2 from the atmosphere and make carbohydrates that are used for plant growth. Mature trees can absorb roughly 48 pounds of CO2 a year. The tree in return releases enough oxygen to sustain two human beings. Trees also help reduce ozone levels in urban areas. Trees reduce noise pollution. This is important people who live near freeways.
     Therefor, Carpooling, recycling and planting trees are great for the environment and the planet Earth. These things can save humans lives with less pollution and more oxygen.