The theme for this year is Invest in Our Planet.
We need to act immediately by innovating and implementing solutions that are equitable to preserve life on Earth.
We can invest in our planet in multiple ways such as:
Let’s make every day Earth Day
you can now support us via Amazon by clicking the link below
Global Recycling Day was established in 2018 to raise awareness of the necessity of recycling
in conserving our valuable natural resources and ensuring the planet’s future. It is a day for the
entire world to unite and prioritize the planet. Global Recycling Day has two primary goals:
Here’s where EmptyBox enters the loop. Our mission is to promote the reuse of cardboard
packaging in a circular fashion. Cardboard is a biodegradable substance that degrades more
quickly than plastics, resulting in a low environmental effect. However, if cardboard is not
properly recycled, it emits methane, which contributes to the current greenhouse gas problem; it
is clear that cardboard producers are under pressure, especially during the current rush of
events.
So recycling is an option right? While a single cardboard box can be recycled up to 7 times, the
process involves a tremendous amount of resources in transportation, water to turn it back into
pulp, the manufacturing process, and transporting to distributors. For many years the US
shipped large bales of OCC (old corrugated cardboard) to China, in 2017 they stopped
accepting those bales and more cardboard has been going into landfills. However, a box can
be used and reused for years. EmptyBox’a mission is to promote reuse through community
reuse stations and a peer to peer messaging application which is all in the works!
Therefore for Global Recycling Day, we encourage you to reuse your cardboard boxes as much
as possible if not donate them!
Recycling is a great alternative to a landfill and a single cardboard box can be recycled up to seven times. However, there’s a problem. Prior to 2017, the US’s largest buyer of OCC (old corrugated cardboard) bales was China as they lack natural resources for virgin fiber (from farmed trees). Due to increasing contaminants (trash, mold, etc.) the Chinese government stopped allowing the import of US bales. The price dropped and so did the market. Bales are now stacking up and going directly into landfills.
So you’re paying to recycle, but they are not likely getting recycled. If they are, there are transportation costs and intensive use of resources, such as water, to turn those boxes back into pulp to be used again. Not to mention the manufacturing process and distribution back to manufacturers.
That’s why it’s EmptyBox’s mission to facilitate the reuse rather than recycle of cardboard boxes by installing community reuse stations and a peer to peer connection platform to connect those that need boxes with those that need to dispose of boxes.
