40 Recycling Quotes Inspiring A Waste-free World

Waste recycling is one of the well-known initiatives for combating overflowing landfills and polluted water bodies. As our curated selection of recycling quotes points out, now more than ever, it's evident that we are not doing enough.

Waste pollution is one of the major problems that deserves a rallying call around the world. We can measure the impact of pollution, from the deaths of our marine animals due to plastic ingestion to the rapid depletion of the earth’s natural resources. 

This realization has led to more and more people willingly participating in recycling initiatives recently. Our common goal is to reduce the consumption of natural resources and enhance our environment.

Many influential voices have spoken up about the dangers of not recycling. They include words from environmental activists to politicians. Here are 40 recycling quotes that we should all give some thought to.

Related Read: Recycling Facts & Statistics.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Quotes To Open Your Eyes

The slogan "reduce, reuse, recycle" originated from the rising environmental consciousness of the 1970s. Due to the concerns about pollution and waste materials, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson initiated Earth Day in 1970, leading to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. 

By 1976, the hazardous waste issue resulted in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which promoted recycling and conservation, likely popularizing the 

The world is paying attention to the issue as the familiar three-word catchphrase has become popular over the years. Eventually, the word “refuse” was added at the beginning, expanding the scope of waste management.

More than repeating this phrase, browse the recycling quotes below to connect deeper to its purpose.

"There is no such thing as ‘away'. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere." -Annie Leonard #trvst #quotes #bethechange #bethechange
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"There is no such thing as ‘away'. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere."

- Annie Leonard

"If you're not buying recycled products, you're not really recycling." -Ed Begley, Jr. #trvst #quotes #planetearthfirst #ecoconscious
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"If you're not buying recycled products, you're not really recycling."

- Ed Begley, Jr.

"While recycling is great in a lot of ways, the ultimate goal is to get people to prevent waste in the first place." -McKenzie Jones #trvst #quotes #socialchange #dogood #people
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"While recycling is great in a lot of ways, the ultimate goal is to get people to prevent waste in the first place."

- McKenzie Jones

"Most fashion is worn for a few seasons and off-loaded into the recycling bin or, worse, some landfill." -Robin Givhan #trvst #quotes #thinkgreen #dogood #fashion #landfill
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"Most fashion is worn for a few seasons and off-loaded into the recycling bin or, worse, some landfill."

- Robin Givhan

"We live in a disposable society. It's easier to throw things out than to fix them. We even give it a name - we call it recycling." -Neil LaBute #trvst #quotes #collectiveaction #planetearthfirst
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"We live in a disposable society. It's easier to throw things out than to fix them. We even give it a name - we call it recycling."

- Neil LaBute

"Recycling is more than just a response to the environmental crisis and has assumed a symbolic role in beginning to change the nature of western societies and the culture of consumerism. Indeed many environmentalists assume that there will be an inevitable shift from our 'throwaway' society to a post-industrial 'recycling' society of the future." -Matthew Gandy #trvst #quotes #ecoconscious #planetearthfirst #nature #future #culture
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"Recycling is more than just a response to the environmental crisis and has assumed a symbolic role in beginning to change the nature of western societies and the culture of consumerism. Indeed many environmentalists assume that there will be an inevitable shift from our 'throwaway' society to a post-industrial 'recycling' society of the future."

- Matthew Gandy

"We never know the worth of water till the well is dry." -Thomas Fuller #trvst #quotes #socialchange #takeaction #water
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"We never know the worth of water till the well is dry."

- Thomas Fuller

"If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, designed or removed from production." -Pete Seeger #trvst #quotes #changetheworld #bethechange #rebuilt #reused #reduced
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"If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, designed or removed from production."

- Pete Seeger

Messages On The Benefits Of Recycling

Recycling benefits Mother Earth by conserving natural resources. For example, by consciously choosing to recycle paper, we significantly reduce the demand for harvesting new wood, preserving our forests. 

Likewise, recycling empowers communities economically. In 2012, the EPA reported it generated 681,000 jobs, $37.8 billion in wages, and $5.5 billion in tax revenue in the US2.

This only represents an inkling of the benefits of recycling. Check our article on why recycling is important after looking at the quotes below for an in-depth read.

"It makes a big difference to recycle. It makes a big difference to use recycled products. It makes a big difference to reuse things, to not use the paper cup – and each time you do, that’s a victory." -Emily Deschanel #trvst #quotes #gogreen #dogood
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"It makes a big difference to recycle. It makes a big difference to use recycled products. It makes a big difference to reuse things, to not use the paper cup – and each time you do, that’s a victory."

- Emily Deschanel

"Waste does not exist in nature because ecosystems reuse everything that grows in a never-ending cycle of efficiency and purpose." -Frans van Houten #trvst #quotes #takeaction #ecoconscious #nature
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"Waste does not exist in nature because ecosystems reuse everything that grows in a never-ending cycle of efficiency and purpose."

- Frans van Houten

"When you put the whole picture together, recycling is the right thing to do." -Pam Shoemaker #trvst #quotes #gogreen #planetearthfirst
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"When you put the whole picture together, recycling is the right thing to do."

- Pam Shoemaker

"Listen up, you couch potatoes: each recycled beer can saves enough electricity to run a television for three hours." -Denis Hayes #trvst #quotes #changetheworld #socialchange
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"Listen up, you couch potatoes: each recycled beer can saves enough electricity to run a television for three hours."

- Denis Hayes

"All the human and animal manure which the world wastes, if returned to the land, instead of being thrown into the sea, would suffice to nourish the world." -Victor Hugo #trvst #quotes #bethechange #thinkgreen #animal #nourish #human #world
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"All the human and animal manure which the world wastes, if returned to the land, instead of being thrown into the sea, would suffice to nourish the world."

- Victor Hugo

Quotes On Recycling Recommendations

Recycling is a personal responsibility that begins within our homes. We can work towards a more sustainable future through simple steps like segregation, mindful consumption, and upcycling. Gradual habit changes can lead to profound effects.

On a larger scale, closed-loop recycling and material innovation are some pivotal efforts, as individuals like Alex Steffen and Yves Béhar highlight in their quotes below.

After giving a thought of the recommendations below, start taking action on your own by following our recycling tips.

"I would rather see us recycle fewer things well, than more things poorly." -David Allaway #trvst #quotes #socialchange #ecoconscious
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"I would rather see us recycle fewer things well, than more things poorly."

- David Allaway

"We don't need more recycling, we need a completely different system of closed-loop manufacturing, and no matter how many cans I crush, my personal actions at the consumer level are of very little importance in getting us there." -Alex Steffen #trvst #quotes #takeaction #beinspired
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"We don't need more recycling, we need a completely different system of closed-loop manufacturing, and no matter how many cans I crush, my personal actions at the consumer level are of very little importance in getting us there."

- Alex Steffen

"I imagine a future with no waste; material innovations have already become exponentially more vast, and I do think the future needs to be cradle to cradle. If designed properly, one product could be used for many years before needing to be recycled, or its components reused." -Yves Behar #trvst #quotes #dogood #collectiveaction #reused #future
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"I imagine a future with no waste; material innovations have already become exponentially more vast, and I do think the future needs to be cradle to cradle. If designed properly, one product could be used for many years before needing to be recycled, or its components reused."

- Yves Behar

"If recycling is the future, then we must focus our efforts on mitigating negative impacts to our community while protecting our environment." -Tony Cardenas #trvst #quotes #impact #socialchange #future #negative
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"If recycling is the future, then we must focus our efforts on mitigating negative impacts to our community while protecting our environment."

- Tony Cardenas

"Recycling, packaging, businesses are changing all of those things because that's what consumers want." -Jerry Greenfield #trvst #quotes #takeaction #bethechange
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"Recycling, packaging, businesses are changing all of those things because that's what consumers want."

- Jerry Greenfield

"Years ago, we all talked about recycling and not dumping things down your drain and all of that, but talking doesn't help much. Basically, it's going to have to be legislation because the impact is so huge and diversified." -Ted Danson #trvst #quotes #changetheworld #planetearthfirst
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"Years ago, we all talked about recycling and not dumping things down your drain and all of that, but talking doesn't help much. Basically, it's going to have to be legislation because the impact is so huge and diversified."

- Ted Danson

Sentiments On Recycling Challenges

Recycling's challenges are more than meets the eye; they're born of our behaviors and perceptions. The recycling gap is wide, with dilemmas surrounding plastic disposal and ecological responsibility. 

Experts suggest a path forward by clarifying recycling information1, simplifying the process, and increasing accessibility. Redirecting efforts toward these could lead us towards a greener, healthier planet. 

Reflect on what hinders you from recycling as you read the quotes below. For further reading, check our post on why people do not recycle.

"The recycling movement is floundering, and its survival depends on continual subsidies, sermons and policing. How can you build a sustainable city with a strategy that can't even sustain itself?" -John Tierney #trvst #quotes #bethechange #beinspired #survival
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"The recycling movement is floundering, and its survival depends on continual subsidies, sermons and policing. How can you build a sustainable city with a strategy that can't even sustain itself?"

- John Tierney

"Many people still believe that ‘green' solutions are too expensive, but they are actually much cheaper when all of the costs to public health, social services, and waste handling are factored into the same equation." -Majora Carter #trvst #quotes #impact #planetearthfirst #people #health
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"Many people still believe that ‘green' solutions are too expensive, but they are actually much cheaper when all of the costs to public health, social services, and waste handling are factored into the same equation."

- Majora Carter

"Solid wastes are the discarded leftovers of our advanced consumer society. This growing mountain of garbage and trash represents not only an attitude of indifference toward valuable natural resources, but also a serious economic and public health problem." -Jimmy Carter #trvst #quotes #impact #bethechange #garbage #growing #health #attitude #serious
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"Solid wastes are the discarded leftovers of our advanced consumer society. This growing mountain of garbage and trash represents not only an attitude of indifference toward valuable natural resources, but also a serious economic and public health problem."

- Jimmy Carter

"Issues relating to global health and sustainability must stay high on the agenda if we are to cope with an ageing and ever-increasing population, with growing pressure on resources, and with rising global temperatures. The risks and dangers need to be assessed and then confronted." -Martin Rees #trvst #quotes #impact #bethechange #health #growing
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"Issues relating to global health and sustainability must stay high on the agenda if we are to cope with an ageing and ever-increasing population, with growing pressure on resources, and with rising global temperatures. The risks and dangers need to be assessed and then confronted."

- Martin Rees

Recycling Quotes About Accountability And Action

In the quest to protect our planet, accountability and action are paramount. The following quotes challenge us to look beyond our consumption and disposal habits, implore us to take ownership of the waste we produce, and remind us that mitigation is not solely tied to recycling. 

From shaping our waste habits to embracing a sustainable life, these quotes prompt us to act.

"You have to hold yourself accountable for your actions, and that's how we're going to protect the Earth." -Julia Butterfly Hill #trvst #quotes #bethechange #changetheworld
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"You have to hold yourself accountable for your actions, and that's how we're going to protect the Earth."

- Julia Butterfly Hill

"The Earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations." -John Paul II #trvst #quotes #collectiveaction #planetearthfirst #love #future
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"The Earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations."

- John Paul II

"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it." -Robert Swan #trvst #quotes #thinkgreen #socialimpact #planet
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"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it."

- Robert Swan

"Whether humans are responsible for the bulk of climate change is going to be left to the scientists, but it's all of our responsibility to leave this planet in better shape for the future generations than we found it." -Mike Huckabee #trvst #quotes #beinspired #bethechange #future #planet
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"Whether humans are responsible for the bulk of climate change is going to be left to the scientists, but it's all of our responsibility to leave this planet in better shape for the future generations than we found it."

- Mike Huckabee

"The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard." -Gaylord Nelson #trvst #quotes #ecoconscious #planetearthfirst #future
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"The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard."

- Gaylord Nelson

Commendable Recycling Efforts We Must Follow

Undoubtedly, our surroundings influence our actions. Quotes that echo the grit and determination of those committed to a recycling mindset can inspire us to make a difference. The goal is to promote a recycling culture that preserves our environment and instills purpose in our lives.  

Stand up and say yes to recycling as you take inspiration from the following quotes.

"I'm mad keen on recycling because I'm worried about the next generation and where all this waste we're producing is going. It has to stop. I wash out my plastic containers and recycle envelopes, everything I possibly can." -Cherie Lunghi #trvst #quotes #collectiveaction #takeaction
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"I'm mad keen on recycling because I'm worried about the next generation and where all this waste we're producing is going. It has to stop. I wash out my plastic containers and recycle envelopes, everything I possibly can."

- Cherie Lunghi

"I'm a recycling obsessive." -Perdita Weeks #trvst #quotes #socialimpact #takeaction
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"I'm a recycling obsessive."

- Perdita Weeks

"People who volunteer at the recycling center or soup kitchen through a church or neighborhood group can come to feel part of something larger." -Arlie Russell Hochschild #trvst #quotes #impact #dogood
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"People who volunteer at the recycling center or soup kitchen through a church or neighborhood group can come to feel part of something larger."

- Arlie Russell Hochschild

"Thanks to my mother, not a single cardboard box has found its way back into society. We receive gifts in boxes from stores that went out of business twenty years ago." -Erma Bombeck #trvst #quotes #thinkgreen #planetearthfirst #business
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"Thanks to my mother, not a single cardboard box has found its way back into society. We receive gifts in boxes from stores that went out of business twenty years ago."

- Erma Bombeck

Recycling Quotes About The Future Generation

We all know our sustainable actions today are not only for today's sake but for tomorrow's quality of life.

However, it is more than that. Passing sustainability teachings to our children ensures that as they grow, so does their commitment to protecting the planet. A greener lifestyle learned in childhood becomes ingrained in adulthood.

So, make sure to involve every family member in your waste reduction journey as you reflect on the recycling quotes below.

"If you want grown-ups to recycle, just tell their kids the importance of recycling, and they’ll be all over it." -Bill Nye #trvst #quotes #beinspired #gogreen
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"If you want grown-ups to recycle, just tell their kids the importance of recycling, and they’ll be all over it."

- Bill Nye

"The recycling in my house was imposed by my kids." -Antonio Banderas #trvst #quotes #takeaction #thinkgreen
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"The recycling in my house was imposed by my kids."

- Antonio Banderas

"The kids are always so passionate. I feel like they are our protectors. They care so much about recycling and climate change." -Zoe Ball #trvst #quotes #bethechange #takeaction #passionate
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"The kids are always so passionate. I feel like they are our protectors. They care so much about recycling and climate change."

- Zoe Ball

"The recycling of resource by the aggregate behavior of a diverse array of agents is much more than the sum of the individual actions." -John Henry Holland #trvst #quotes #beinspired #dogood
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"The recycling of resource by the aggregate behavior of a diverse array of agents is much more than the sum of the individual actions."

- John Henry Holland

"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children." -Native American Proverb #trvst #quotes #ecoconscious #impact
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"We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children."

- Native American Proverb

Insights On Widescale Recycling Initiatives

Initiatives reaching across the nation and corporate giants are at the forefront of solving our waste issues. With many innovations in play, like reverse vending machines and AI recycling robots, we are making strides toward a cleaner world. 

Additionally, these widescale efforts likely inspire individuals to take personal steps toward conservation. Here are the rest of the quotes mentioning other recycling efforts worldwide. 

"In Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, the government in a matter of years has put a lot of energy behind recycling food waste as livestock feed. It's environmentally friendly, it provides cheap livestock feed for the farmers in those parts of the world, and it avoids sending the food waste to landfill." -Tristram Stuart #trvst #quotes #ecoconscious #gogreen #friendly #energy #landfill #food #world
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"In Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, the government in a matter of years has put a lot of energy behind recycling food waste as livestock feed. It's environmentally friendly, it provides cheap livestock feed for the farmers in those parts of the world, and it avoids sending the food waste to landfill."

- Tristram Stuart

"When coming in to land at Santiago, Chile, I saw the area between the city and the Andes mountains was smoking with rubbish dumps. While exploring the dumps, I made friends with people living and working there and saw how they survived through recycling the rubbish." -Michael Foreman #trvst #quotes #socialchange #socialimpact #friends #people
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"When coming in to land at Santiago, Chile, I saw the area between the city and the Andes mountains was smoking with rubbish dumps. While exploring the dumps, I made friends with people living and working there and saw how they survived through recycling the rubbish."

- Michael Foreman

"Seoul will build more resource recovery facilities and establish new recycling facilities with the aim of achieving zero landfills of domestic waste." -Park Won-soon #trvst #quotes #planetearthfirst #takeaction #landfills
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"Seoul will build more resource recovery facilities and establish new recycling facilities with the aim of achieving zero landfills of domestic waste."

- Park Won-soon

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