America Recycles Day, 2016

Vol. 81

Thursday,

No. 222

November 17, 2016

Part VIII

The President

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Proclamation 9543--America Recycles Day, 2016

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 9543 of November 14, 2016

America Recycles Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Having only one planet and limited natural resources,
it is imperative we reduce our environmental impact--
particularly when it comes to waste. More than half of
everything we throw away gets permanently discarded,
packing landfills across our country with trash that
can take centuries to decompose and provides no
utility. Today, we resolve to raise awareness of the
important role that reducing, reusing, and recycling
can play in achieving a more sustainable future.

Recycling is a process that allows materials that would
otherwise be thrown out to be manufactured into new
materials that can be used again. By decreasing
landfill waste and conserving important natural
resources, recycling can mitigate pollution, save
energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many items
such as paper, plastics, and batteries are commonly
known to be recyclable, but many other products--
including oil and tires--can also be recycled. In
addition to helping reduce our environmental footprint,
recycling also strengthens our economy and creates
hundreds of thousands of green jobs. To learn more
about what can be recycled and ways to encourage
recycling in your community, visit www.EPA.gov/Recycle.

People of all ages can do their part by reducing waste
and reusing items. In our homes we can compost food and
yard waste rather than sending it to a landfill; in
schools we can utilize reusable containers for storing
lunches and school supplies; and in workplaces we can
print more documents double-sided and on recycled
paper, or opt for digital copies rather than printing
in the first place. The Federal Government is doing our
part to lead by example--from helping businesses
purchase recycled materials to assisting grocery
stores, schools, and stadiums with reducing their food
waste, we are striving to give businesses, States, and
local governments the resources they need to encourage
recycling across our Nation.

One of the most important things we can do with our
time on Earth is to make it better for future
generations. On America Recycles Day, we renew our
commitment to making environmentally conscious changes
in our lives so that our children and grandchildren can
live that better, cleaner future. Let us continue
striving to reduce waste, conserve resources, and meet
our obligations to our planet and to future
generations.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim November 15, 2016, as
America Recycles Day. I call upon the people of the
United States to observe this day with appropriate
programs and activities, and I encourage all Americans
to continue their reducing, reusing, and recycling
efforts throughout the year.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and forty-first.