We’ve been recycling—and talking about recycling—for decades now. Is it still that big of a deal? Aren’t we doing enough by now?

Well, we’re doing better, but we still have a long way to go. Check it out.

While we’re recycling more, we’re also generating more waste. Though recycling volume is up, the number of waste providers is down. According to a recent Yale University/EPA study, the U.S. recycles less than 22% of its discarded materials. Yikes!

At the same time, the world is producing twice as much plastic as it was 20 years ago, and only 9% of that material is successfully recycled. Here in the US, we generate 485 lbs of plastic waste per person every year!

But it’s not just plastic filling our landfills. Every three months, Americans throw away enough aluminum to build our nation’s entire commercial air fleet. And we toss enough office paper to build a 12-foot-high wall from Seattle to NY every year.

In a particular pain point for us here at The Crayon Initiative, more than a half-million pounds of crayons are discarded annually, clogging our landfills with a thick waxy sludge.

These are intimidating numbers, but every small step you take helps move us all toward a healthier planet!

Recycling crayons used to be difficult to do, but now, you can just send in your unwanted crayons right to the Crayon Initiative! You can even host crayon collection drives at your local schools, restaurants, and businesses.

So far, The Crayon Initiative has rescued more than 53 million crayons from landfills. You can help save even more!