Stuff Happens Video: Recycle When You Can

People love to use aluminum. We wrap food in it, store beverages in it, and build cars, ships, and airplanes from it. And there is good reason for this: aluminum is light weight, resists corrosion, is non-toxic, and performs well in both heat and cold. At this point, it seems that aluminum is something we humans cannot live without. But what is the ecological impact of aluminum?

Join Stuff Happens host Bill Nye as he investigates aluminum's path of production. From the mine to the smelter to your home and, eventually, the trash, Bill Nye shows what is required and what is produced. And it is not all good. Scars caused by mining, the huge amounts of fossil fuels and water used, toxic byproducts released into the air, and something that can last over 400 years in a landfill are only some of the disastrous consequences of producing and not recycling aluminum.

Check out this exclusive online video from Stuff Happens to find out why Bill Nye implores us all to recycle when we can.

For more information about what happens in your kitchen, check out the Stuff Happens Episode: Kitchen.