America Recycles Day, 2001

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7503 of November 15, 2001

America Recycles Day, 2001

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

We must preserve our natural heritage by serving as
good stewards of our land. Recycling helps to serve
this important function by conserving our natural
resources as we reuse them where we can. Recycling
safeguards our environment and helps keep America
beautiful for present and future generations.

The United States generates more than 230 million tons
of municipal solid waste every year, which amounts to
four and a half pounds of trash per person per day.
However, thanks to the efforts of the American people,
we are now recovering more than 64 million tons of
usable material annually, and that rate has doubled
since 1990.

Successful recycling includes not only the collection
of materials, but also the manufacture of new products
and the purchase of recycled content products. Buying
products made of recycled materials contributes to
domestic energy conservation and ultimately, a cleaner
environment. For example, recycling one aluminum can
saves enough energy to run a television set for three
hours. Recycling a ton of glass saves the equivalent of
9 gallons of fuel oil, and recycling solid waste
prevents the release of 37 million tons of carbon into
the air--roughly the amount emitted annually by 28
million cars.

As more products made with recycled materials reach the
marketplace, individual consumers, corporations, and
Federal agencies are purchasing these goods as cost-
effective and responsible business solutions. Such
items may range from recycled content paper, retread
tires, and re-refined oil, to concrete and insulation
containing recycled materials.

Our Nation is making great progress by recycling, but
we can and must do better. America Recycles Day 2001
represents a partnership among Government, industry,
and environmental organizations to promote recycling
and to encourage the participation of all our citizens.
As part of the event, the Federal Government hosted a
poster contest for the children of Federal employees to
help raise awareness in the Government, and across the
Nation, of the need to continue protecting the
environment by recycling. All Americans can help
``Close the Recycling Circle,'' by recycling products
in our homes, schools, offices, and communities, and
also by purchasing products made from recycled
materials. These recycling and remanufacturing
activities help conserve resources and also stimulate
our economy by creating jobs and revenue.

Last year, more than 3 million people in all 50 States
and 2 U.S. territories committed to reduce, reuse, and
recycle more and to buy recycled products. For America
Recycles Day 2001, I encourage all Americans to build
on these achievements by recycling and by purchasing
and using products made from recycled materials. These
responsible actions can help protect our environment
and conserve natural resources for the benefit of all.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim November 15, 2001,

as America Recycles Day. I call upon the people of the
United States to observe this day with appropriate
programs and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand one, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-sixth.

(Presidential Sig.)B