It is easy to understand that simply disposing of rubbish and depositing things on landfills is not the best way. It is also easy to understand that recycling items does not only make financial sense, but is also better for the environment.
What many people do not realise, is that the recycling can have a very big effect on the environment from a different angle: retrieving the raw materials we need. If rare metals and other materials are not extracted from recycled goods, then they have to be mined from the earth, with resulting great consequences to climate change.