Christian Science Monitor: “Recycling is one of the most recognized forms of environmental conservation in the United States. But differing standards for curbside recycling programs across the country and changes in the recycling industry can confuse consumers: What really happens after they toss items into a blue or green bin? Before and during World War II, informal recycling was a standard practice – people used rags to make paper and collected scrap metal for military use. After the war, disposable goods became more popular, and items started to pile up in landfills. In 1970, an architecture student designed the now-iconic recycling symbol with three arrows representing the need to reduce, reuse, and recycle. The practice of recycling was spurred along by activist efforts, including the rise of curbside recycling in the 1990s, and the portion of waste that was recycled or composted in the U.S. shot up from 6% in 1960 to 32% in 2018, the most recent year government data is available. Here we examine what to know about the recycling process and how effective it is.”