Recycling is a $236 billion a year industry in the U.S.

It creates jobs, reduces pollutants released into air and water, saves energy and produces new raw materials to create products.

Many apartments don’t currently offer recycling services because companies charge extra for recycling pick-up and for the recycling dumpster, said Susan Besinger, president of Horizon Real Estate Management.

Depending on the size of the dumpster and how often the recycling would need to be picked up, it could cost twice the amount of just having trash picked up, said Besinger.

Extra costs for landlords often trickle down to tenants in the form of higher rent, possibly turning some potential tenants away who are worried about rent and utility costs from getting an apartment from a certain landlord.

“I would love to see some kind of legislation regarding recycling,” said Besinger.

I’d be willing to do without those dollars if it promoted recycling.

According to the National Recycling Coalition, “Every three months, Americans landfill enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet.”

Glass can be recycled over and over, and recycling a stack of newspapers three feet high is enough to save one tree, according to the NRC.

That’s a lot of energy and resources that could be saved.

Locally, anyone can drop off their recycling any time of the day at the Waste Management Center, located at 115 Simonds Ave.

You can also save your cans or any other metal objects, such as a car battery or siding, and take them to the DeKalb Iron and Metal Co., 900 Oak St.

If you don’t have a way to get to these locations, consider some other options.

Habitat for Humanity will arrange to pick up aluminum cans in some areas. Habitat’s DeKalb phone number is 815-758-5055. You can call them to set up drop off and pick up for a “Cans for Habitat” aluminum can container.

“They say that if 2,750 households in our community recycle four aluminum cans a day, then they can build a Habitat home for a family in need in just one year,” said Michelle DeSalvo, Sigma Kappa philanthropy chairman.

Or, throw your recycling into the campus receptacles, such as the ones in the Holmes Student Center.

Don’t use the fact that your apartment complex doesn’t currently recycle as an excuse.

Take advantage of the other local resources, and let your apartment management know that it’d be great to see more recycling in DeKalb.

It’s a way to save green, economically and environmentally.