The United States produces the most waste of any country, with each person generating 1,609 pounds of waste annually. This means that only 5% of the world's population creates 40% of global waste. However, much of this waste can be reduced through recycling various materials like paper, plastic, glass, aluminum and cardboard. Recycling these materials has numerous environmental benefits such as saving trees, energy and reducing pollution from materials that end up in oceans and landfills. It is important that everyone does their part to recycle and be good stewards of the earth for future generations.