"verb (used with object), recycled, recycling.
1. to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse
2. to alter or adapt for new use without changing the essential form or nature of
3. to use again in the original form or with minimal alteration " (dictionary.com)
Spending 4 years of my childhood in Cambodia has given me some insight as to how our trash is disposed of. I've visited a dumping ground called Stung Mean Chey (or Smokey Mountain). I see people, young and old, make a living by searching through mountains of rubbish, collecting plastic, metal or paper from what we throw away. They then clean these items and sell them away, to be recycled. It led me to wonder why people have thrown those items away in the first place, especially since they could have been recycled.
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| Children scavenging for recyclables to sell |
This experience has sparked my interest in recycling, and has led me to find ways to reduce the amount of things that I discard and also to reuse or recycle materials.
