Each year Americans throw out 18 billion disposable diapers—enough to build a trail to the moon and back seven times.

Consumers and industry in the U.S. throw out enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet every three months.

About 63 percent of the aluminum cans in the U.S. are recycled, as are aluminum auto parts, foil wrap, food cans, pie plates, frozen food trays, lawn chair tubing, storm door and window frames, and residential siding.

Each recycled aluminum can saves the energy equivalent of half a gallon of gasoline.

We get rid of enough glass bottles and jars to fill New York's twin towers every two weeks.

Americans throw out enough iron and steel to supply all the nation's automakers daily.

Approximately 58 percent of newspapers are recycled in the U.S., mostly back into more newspapers. They also become bathroom tissue, corrugated boxes, box board for packaging, animal bedding, and molded paper products such as egg cartons and plant boxes.

The average American uses 60–80 gallons of water every day.

The average shower uses 12–14 gallons of water; the average bath, with tub half full, uses 20 gallons.