Approximately 85 percent of all textiles in the United States end up in the landfill. Considering that 95 percent of our clothing can be repurposed, this recycling rate is disappointingly low, though perhaps not shocking given that textiles can't be dropped in standard blue recycling bins. This is why Planet Aid place its convenient yellow bins at sites that people commonly frequent, like gas stations, shopping centers, and schools.
Unfortunately, items that can go in the blue bin are not always recycled, either. Plastic water bottles are 100 percent recyclable, but 73 percent of them--about 35 billion bottles in total--are thrown in the trash each year. This massive wastefulness has negative but entirely avoidable consequences on our landfills and oceans. Check out the infographic below for more details on the environmental impact of plastic bottles and why you should consider switching to reusable ones.