[GreenYes] Fw: Looking for Recycling stats

["Bill Sheehan" <zerowaste@grrn.org>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rick Heede" <heede@rmi.org>
To: "Bill Sheehan" <zerowaste@grrn.org>
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 9:39 PM
Subject: stats

I am looking for some basic recycling statistics (national) that
I have yet to find a good source for. Such as: aluminum cans
(plus other consumer-recyclable aluminum) manufactured in a
recent year vs total recycled. Then a discussion of net energy
saved by recycling per unit, with enough detail so I can
estimate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases saved.
But emphasis on net energy, so I can infer that collection, re-
manufacturing, and other inputs are considered, not merely the
virgin vs recycled manufacturing information.

Any leads to a scholarly and footnoted resource I can get my
hands on? That is, I like the raw data so I can verify the calcs
or run my own estimates: eg, life cycle energy per pound (or
can) of virgin alum vs life cycle for recycled version, etc.

I am also looking for similar information re: recycling and net
energy savings for newsprint, office paper, glass, and plastics ....

PS: I am doing this for my calculations on consumer and
household opportunities to reduce individual emissions of
greenhouse gases. I want to be able to say, for example, that
the typical American household (or person) uses X pounds of
aluminum (cans only, if that is the easiest data to get), and
recycles Y pounds per year. If, hypothetically, the typical
consumer increases their recycling rate from, say, 48 percent
to, say, 96 percent, he or she will save Z amount of energy and
ZZ pounds of carbon dioxide.

Any leads at all will be appreciated.

I trust all is well with you.

-Rick-=
********************000*******************
Richard Heede
   Rocky Mountain Institute
   1739 Snowmass Creek Road
   Snowmass, CO 81654-9199 USA
   1 / 970-927-3851 tel
   www.rmi.org & www.natcap.org
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