— Recycling benefits the economy as it saves money. A strong economy is one that is efficient.

— Recycling and composting diverted nearly 70 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2000.

— In the U.S. processing minerals contributes almost 1/2 of all reported toxic emissions from industry, sending 1.5 million tons of pollution into the air and water each year. Recycling greatly reduces these emissions.

— In the year 2000, recycling resulted in an annual energy savings equal to the amount of energy used in 6 million homes (over 660 trillion BTU’s).

— A national recycling rate of 30 percent reduces greenhouse gas emissions as much as removing nearly 25 million cars from the road.

Information provided by ReGroup, a nonprofit educational group, formed in 1989 to develop public awareness of waste reduction, reuse and recycling benefits on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula. ReGroup meets every third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Hope Community Resources Community Center on Princeton Avenue off Kalifornsky Beach Road, unless otherwise notified.