In 2010, Americans recycled 85 million tons of trash that would have otherwise gone into landfills. While that number is impressive, we still need to convince the people who do not recycle or don’t recycle as much as they could, to start doing their part. Do either of the following excuses sound familiar? “Sending trash to landfills is working fine, so why should I recycle?” Landfills are still collecting trash, but that solution is far from problem-free. Garbage is tightly placed into landfills and the lack of air prevents the breakdown of paper and other biodegradable trash. Even when decomposition occurs, it generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that adds to global warming concerns. Plastic and other materials that don’t break down just pile up in the landfill, creating “mountains” of trash. Then too, space for landfills is limited, and no one wants to live next to a new landfill that must be built when current space runs out.

What is the author’s point of view about recycling? How does the author respond to a point of view that conflicts with his own