We get it drained into our heads day in and day out to recycle by most of our teachers, but have we ever asked if it really matters?

Recycling is the reusing and remaking of objects in order to help conserve the earth. We are able to recycle about 75 percent of all American trash. Some examples of recyclables are paper, plastics and aluminum.

Recycling does not matter as much as we are told; it does not seem to make a difference. Recycled products and recyclable products always seem to go into the trash. Recycling is a good thing don’t get me wrong, but most people are not going to search for 10 minutes just to recycle a piece of paper. Most will if it is convenient.

As I went down the rabbit hole of recycling, I learned it really does matter. Recycling is important because if you were to recycle a single aluminum can, would save three hours of TV worth of energy. At the moment, we are recycling 33 percent to 50 percent of what we could be recycling. Pop-tabs are a good way to recycle as well. They usually go to a non-profit like Ronald McDonald House or St. Jude research hospital.

At LHS, we also recycle. I wanted to find out where the recycle goes but apparently, geometry is more important than my journalism story. Since I could not find out on my own, I went with an expert. According to LHS custodian Chris Moneke, LHS throws away 7.5 large trash bins worth of trash a week. That is almost double the four large bins of recycling bin a week. Moneke hopes to get the numbers more closer together.

Recycling is important to help out the earth, because everything on this world is limited. Even though you reading this are only one person, you can make a change in the world just by recycling. So maybe the nagging  teachers have a reason. Maybe it does not matter. Recycle if you would like too but if not, you are only one person.