How has science played a role in recycling paper and water?

Scientific discoveries and applications are a large factor on the impacts on the environment. Science has helped further mankind at the environment’s expense and has also been able to fix some of the damage humans have caused and further the environment itself as well. Two of the scientific applications that have helped restore some of the damage that humans have inflicted on the environment are recycling of paper and recycling of water. The recycling of paper is a scientific application that is being used to help resolve the global issue of deforestation and the recycling of water is helping resolve Singapore’s problem of limited water resources. However there are benefits and limitations to these scientific applications and these applications have social and political factors.

The role of recycling paper around the world is to reduce the number of trees being cut down for paper. Deforestation is a serious worldwide issue as trees not only provide oxygen but also take in and absorb carbon dioxide. When a tree is cut down all the carbon dioxide that it has stored throughout its life is then released into the atmosphere and contributes to the greenhouse gases. The impact of recycling paper is that it can be made into other things that require the material paper provides, for example the paper that has been recycled can be turned into paper once again or used in another product like a pencil case, etc. The science in recycling paper is that the paper is converted back in its raw materials. It goes from a finished product to its raw materials to either create something of more value (art) or of less value (less quality paper). It uses chemicals and water to decompose the paper into a fibrous pulp, which is turned into paper once more. Recycling of paper is used to solve the global issue of deforestation, however there are smaller issues, like those of a countries limitations

Recycling water is a solution to Singapore’s limited water source as they have most of their water imported. Singapore has a system called Newater. Newater is recycled drinkable water. Since Singapore is very reliant on other countries for water they have built a Newater plant that recycles the water and allows for people to be able to drink. This is an environmental issue because water is a limited resource and a way to recycle the water is a great application of science. It is treated using microfiltration and reverse osmosis as well as ultra violet rays. Some industries need high purity water (metal plants) and Newater is a more than viable source for their need. The application of science in recycling water has really helped Singapore maintain its water supply.

The benefits of recycling paper is that is that it reduces the negative impacts that humans are having on the environment. Recycling is a worldwide initiative that is cost effective and helps the environment. Recycling also lets the products be converted back into raw materials and create something of either great value or less. However there are limitations to recycling paper. The limitations are that this requires more energy and effort than just dumping the garbage. It will use more energy for transport, cleaning, sorting and etc. for the recycling process. It is also more expensive than putting garbage into a landfill. It is 50-60$ a ton to landfill garbage while 150$ a ton to recycle paper. Recycling water has many benefits. The fact is that it can turn sewage water into clean drinkable water and it can be used in industries that require pure water. It is an innovative way to reuse a limited resource. However the limitations to this is that it requires state of the art technology. This type of technology only available in first world countries and big cities while this type of technology is needed more in third world countries than first world. It is also very expensive treatment for the water.

Social factors that recycling have had are huge. Recycling has been part of a want to become green initiative which has become popular with youth nowadays due to mass media and marketing. There is a lot of social awareness about the environment and on of the most well known forms of helping the environment is recycling. Recycling is being preached all around the world. It is now a standard practice and a social norm. Because of all the social support on recycling companies and corporations practice recycling as well to help market their own agendas and help give the public the image that they are green. Recycling has really become integrated into everyday life.

Political factors that recycling has had are just as great as social factors. More world leaders are supporting the green initiative because that is what the majority of the public desire nowadays. The public want to see the environment taken care and one the things that help leaders campaign in politics is recycling. Politics is one of the reason recycling is very well known. Numerous world leaders used recycling as one of the tools to help the environment (Al Gore, Barack Obama and etc.). Recycling in politics has boosted the present want and need for a green future.

These factors are only two of many things that the scientific application of recycling has had an effect on. Recycling itself has been in practice for more than a century, however now has there only been recycling and a large scale. Before everything was on a household scale, now its entire cities and countries. Though there are many benefits to recycling there are limitations, but those limitations can be overcome in the years to come. Recycling has definitely helped resolve some of the world’s problems like deforestation. And it has also helped on a smaller scale such has helping a country solve it limitations with water resources. Recycling has been a very important and useful scientific application that has definitely influenced humans of this modern era.