Five New Stats on Our Recycling Habits

A new survey for Earth Day found 62% of us are worried we're not recycling right, because we don't know what can and can't be recycled. Here are two of the most common things we get wrong.

68% of us think used plastic utensils can be recycled, and technically, they can. But it costs too much. So most recycling plants won't do it.

And 53% of us think greasy pizza boxes should go in the recycling bin,but they can't be recycled either. Here are five more recycling stats for Earth Day.

82% of Americans want to be more environmentally friendly. But only 31% of people said they always recycle.
The average American throws out five things a week that could be recycled instead.
Three in ten Americans are now using reusable water bottles instead of plastic. And 29% of us try to avoid straws too.
83% of us would be willing to pay extra for products if they were more environmentally friendly.
Our top five excuses for not recycling are: "It's not convenient enough" ... "I don't have space for the extra bin" ... "I don't have time to separate my recycling" ... "I don't have enough information about how to do it" and, "I'm too lazy."