There are many compelling reasons to recycle, for example, recycling saves energy, benefits the economy, conserves resources and is better for wildlife, but most Americans do not recycle. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, only 38% of Americans identify as “avid recyclers.” This is an alarming statistic given that the average American generates 4.4 pounds of trash per day. As a nation, this country produces approximately 250 million tons of waste every year. Only 35% of the millions of tons of waste collected each year in the United States are recycled. There are myriad reasons given by those who don't recycle. For example, some Americans find recycling to be inconvenient, others cite a lack of space to recycle, while others say recycling is difficult. Perhaps an incentive would get more people to be environmentally responsible. Often people are moved to action if there is enough incentive to act. There should be a financial incentive for people to recycle, which would increase the number of citizens who recycle and decrease the amount of recyclable items in landfill. Reusing an object requires less energy than creating a new one using raw materials. Furthermore, recycling is good for the economy. When aluminum cans are recycled, 95% less energy is needed than it takes to produce a new can from the original bauxite source. If just one ton of aluminum is recycled, more than 207 million pounds of Btu is saved. This compares to 1,665 gallons of gas or 36 barrels of crude oil. When new products are made, energy is used to gather materials and produce the product. Recycling saves the energy used to extract the material and generally requires less…half as much paper…Recognized energy items like a geothermal heat pump also receive a federal tax credit. Additionally, companies like Whole Foods grocery stores offer a twenty-five cent credit per bag if a customer brings their own bags. CVS has a similar program, offering its customers a dollar for every four times they don't need a bag for their purchase. These programs encourage consumers to make a healthy environmental choice and reward them when they do so. The same could be achieved with recycling. Since money is a persuasive motivator for a large percentage of people, offering a financial incentive to recycle would increase the level of participation in recycling programs, which would be beneficial for the environment and good for the economy. Using financial incentives as an incentive to recycle benefits not only the consumer but also the planet.