Every March 18th is celebrated around the world as Global Recycling Day. It’s a day that began as a recycling initiative and has grown into a global event and holiday. It encourages every human being to take the time to consider how they produce waste and to make an effort to divert some of that trash from the world’s landfills to recycling centers.

Around the world, over 1.4 billion tons of landfill waste are produced each year, and that figure is expected to exceed 2.3 billion tons by 2026. That figure alone should compel people to observe this holiday so they can view their garbage differently and look for ways to recycle more.

The History of Global Recycling Day

This holiday was first created by the United Nations in 2018 to address the ever-growing problem of trash in the world. This organization needed to find a way to stem the tide of garbage that not only flows into the landfills of the world but also into streams, rivers, and oceans.

The world’s garbage is not only polluting the natural environment but is also killing off native species. And that’s something that must stop now, but won’t until everyone does their part to stop it.

Some Mind-Blowing Facts About Garbage

This whole holiday concerns itself with garbage and what we can do to reduce or eliminate it. That’s why we thought it was appropriate to do a little bit of research and share it with everyone getting ready to celebrate this holiday.

• The average American citizen produces almost 5 pounds of trash per day.
• Americans only make up about 4% of the world’s population yet produce over 12% of the world’s waste.
• Enough hazardous waste is produced each year to fill the New Orleans Superdome over 1,500 times.

Observing Global Recycling Day

The UN has sustainability goals that lead up to 2030, and these require more people to take responsibility for their actions. We all must come together and do our part for the continued health of this planet.

It’s a day for people to think more about the trash they produce, to consider how they can reduce their trash production, and how they can recycle more. It’s also a day for people to spread the word about this holiday so others can take part. They can do this by using the hashtag #GlobalRecyclingDay on social media.