Energy Efficiency

Many other approaches are available for increasing the efficiency with which energy is used in a society. Recycling has become much more popular in the United States over the past few decades at least partly because it provides a way of salvaging valuable resources such as glass, aluminum, and paper. Recycling is also an energy efficient practice because it reduces the cost of producing new products from raw materials. Another approach to energy efficiency is to make use of packaging materials that are produced with less energy. The debate still continues over whether paper or plastic bags are more energy efficient, but at least the debate indicates that people are increasingly aware of the choices that can be made about packaging materials.