A well-developed state is the one that develops in every part or sector of its government. The New Jersey government claims that the Garden State is a developed state, but to me it’s not developed because acts of state in accordance to its environment and natural resources are totally unfair and shameful. These acts might be regrettable if necessary action is not taken. It is horrible to see that the rate of recycling of newspaper and office paper in 1995 higher than that of 2004, according to NJDEP recent recycling statistics. These statistics show that newspaper and office paper recycling declined from 61% and 55% (1995) to 38% and 28% (2004) respectively. I am not happy concerning this situation because I can’t sit and watch my unborn children’s future being jeopardized by the unawareness of New Jersey residents of the important benefit of recycling. For this reason I am responding to the above statistics and offering some speculative explanations about the causes of this decline in recycling, and suggesting ways to improve the rate of recycling in New Jersey.
It is disgraceful to see the rate of recycling decline in New Jersey between 1995 and 2004. I know the population of New Jersey in 1995 was different from the one of 2004. It hasn’t been recorded officially that the population of New Jersey declined in the past few years. I think that the population would have increased between the year 1995 and 2004 due to migration of foreigners into New Jersey. We know that in Economics, the higher the demand for products and services, the higher the supply for them. In this case I assumed there would have been an increase in demand and supply of recyclable products between the years 1995 and 2004. That means the residents of New Jersey consumed and wasted a lot of recyclable product like aluminum, paper (newspaper and office paper) and plastic during these nine years by not recycling these recyclable products.
My opinion is that recycling was not given the necessary attention during these nine years in the Garden State. I believe that this decline in recycling in New Jersey between 1995 and 2004 was because of unawareness of the importance and benefits of recycling. The number of residents that was aware was lower than the number of residents that was unaware of recycling. As a result, those aware of the importance and benefits of recycling lost interest in recycling because they saw no changes in the environment or positive effect of recycling.
A recycling awareness campaign is the only solution I can suggest to improve and standardize the rate of recycling in New Jersey. The campaign program can start by making recycling laws and anybody that does not comply with the laws should be fined and punished. The law should require every resident and organization in New Jersey to recycle all their recyclable materials. After the recycling laws have been passed, the recycling awareness campaign group should organize enlightening programs, an annual recycling symposium, publish and advertise about recycling in newspapers, and quarterly newsletter, and talk shows on radio and television in each county in New Jersey. The government should promote recycling by buying recycled products from recycling companies. If the government can use recycled products, the residents and organizations in the Garden State wouldn’t find it difficult to use it such as well.
Moreover, the recycling awareness campaign should be taken to schools starting from the elementary schools to universities. School is the place students get educated about the things they don’t know. I believe a school is a place where students should be taught to promote conservation of energy and natural resources. By doing this, the campaign will educate students, who are the future of the state, the importance and benefits of recycling. I believe this will make the recycling program a strong and a long lasting program.
Our children’s future should be taken into consideration in New Jersey concerning our environment, energy, and natural resources. Residents of the Garden State should not jeopardize their children’s life because of their unawareness about recycling. I believe the rate of recycling in New Jersey will increase if necessary steps such as a recycling awareness campaign are taken.
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