A Column Promoting a More Earth-friendly Lifestyle

BY JOHN L. TURNER

You have undoubtedly learned about the value of recycling as it has become commonplace on Long Island, with every town and village here operating recycling programs. Recycling helps to reduce impacts to landfills, reduces air and water pollution, and results in less energy use.

Especially important is recycling aluminum. Why? Because unlike other materials such as paper, aluminum is infinitely recyclable and requires much less energy to make a new aluminum product from recycled aluminum than from virgin ore (bauxite). For example, it takes 20 times the amount of energy to make a can from virgin ore as it does from recycled aluminum. Said another way, creating new aluminum cans from recycled cans uses 95 percent less energy than making new cans from ore. Or how about: Tossing away an aluminum can wastes as much energy as pouring out half of that can's volume of gasoline!!

To put this in a broader perspective, using an example from around your home: recycling one aluminum can save enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for almost four hours or run your television for three hours. This adds up as last year 54 billion cans were recycled saving energy equivalent to 15 million barrels of crude oil — America's entire gas consumption for one day. These examples make it clear that recycling aluminum is a sure-fire way for you to combat climate change. So, please recycle those aluminum pie tins, take-out containers, and cans!

Peg Espinola writes and sings songs of the age she lives in and the quirks of her generation. Playing the same guitar her husband gave her on their honeymoon to Madrid in 1965, she’s recorded four of her own CDs. She’s now a proud resident of Jefferson’s Ferry.

The vein of creativity runs deep through Jefferson’s Ferry. Resident artists and writers produce and exhibit their work routinely. Do you have an inner artist trying to break free? Get in tune with your creative side at Jefferson’s Ferry.

Call 6 31 - 257 - 07 6 9 or visit JEFFERSONSFERRY.ORG for more information.

Solid. Secure. Financially Sound. Fitch Ratings, the leading provider of credit ratings, commentary, and research for global capital markets, has given Jefferson’s Ferry a robust rating of BBB with a stable outlook based on the community’s favorable reputation, good location, historically high occupancy, and resiliency of financial profile.