--- title: The Reality of Recycling description: The dirty truth about recycling. What really happens to your recyclables and why they might night end up where you expect. image: https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/HiRes-Joolies%20-%201-Edit.jpg --- [![Joolies California Superfruit](https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/joolies_logo_tm11.png)](https://joolies.com/) - [Shop](https://joolies.com/collections/all) - [Find Us](https://joolies.com/pages/find-us) - [Recipes & More](https://blog.joolies.com/) - [Date-able Recipes](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/date-able-recipes) - [Company News](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/company-news) - [Healthy Living](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/healthy-living) - [Dates 101](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/dates-101) - [Our Dates](https://joolies.com/pages/our-dates) - [Sustainability](https://go.joolies.com/sustainability) - [Our Story](https://joolies.com/pages/our-story) - [Wholesale](https://go.joolies.com/wholesale) [![julies](https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/Joolies_June_2019/Images/logo.svg)](https://joolies.com/) ![organic medjool dates](https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/Scree8oluynshot_111.png) # Date Book [All](https://blog.joolies.com/) [Date-able Recipes](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/date-able-recipes) [Company News](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/company-news) [Healthy Living](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/healthy-living) [Dates 101](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/dates-101) # The Reality of Recycling 4 Minute Read Tags: [Healthy Living](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/healthy-living) [Dates 101](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/dates-101) Written by [Abby](https://blog.joolies.com/author/abby) ![](https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/HiRes-Joolies%20-%201-Edit.jpg) *The dirty truth about recycling as it's not as simple as it seems. What really happens to your recyclables and why they might night end up where you expect.* When it comes to the environment, we have all heard the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But when it comes to recycling, it's like a game of recycling roulette--not everything that gets thrown into the recycling bin gets recycled. While it's great to have the option to recycle and feel like we are doing our part for the environment, the reality is that recycling is a lot more complex process. ## After the Bin A common misconception is that if an item simply makes it into a recycling bin it will be recycled into something new, but that is not always the case.The reality is that the recycling process is complex and dependent on a variety of factors, from the type of material being recycled to local recycling regulations and market demands.  America's recycling system is a broken mess (literally) and facing a major challenge, as [only one third (about 32%)](https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials#recycling) of what we put in the recycling bin *actually *gets recycled. What might be more shocking is the fact that less than [6% of the plastic](https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/new-greenpeace-report-plastic-recycling-is-a-dead-end-street-year-after-year-plastic-recycling-declines-even-as-plastic-waste-increases/) produced is recycled. Why is only such a small amount actually recycled? It has been contaminated, is [virtually impossible to sort for recycling](https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/new-greenpeace-report-plastic-recycling-is-a-dead-end-street-year-after-year-plastic-recycling-declines-even-as-plastic-waste-increases/), environmentally harmful or not economical to reprocess. ## Small Numbers with Big Impact You have probably noticed little numbers surrounded by three interlocking arrows marked on most plastics. These numbers can be misleading, giving the false pretense that all plastics are recyclable or can be easily recycled. What they really indicate is the *type *of plastic something is made from--so think of it like an identification code. Numbers 1 and 2 (sometimes 5) are the more likely to recycled--or should we say downcycled--while numbers 3, 4, 6, and 7 are least likely to be recycled. Any recycled plastic is downcycled into other polymers to be repurposed--read post-consumer recycled material--making use of resources that already exist. ![plastics chart (1)-1](https://blog.joolies.com/hs-fs/hubfs/plastics%20chart%20(1)-1.png?width=879&height=451&name=plastics%20chart%20(1)-1.png) ## The Downside to Downcycling  The not-so-pretty part of downcycling is the chances of recycled plastic getting recycled a third time is slim to none. Why is that? To simply put it, it is not economical. [Recycling is expensive,](https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/blog/2022/5/16/what-really-happens-to-your-plastic-recycling) requires large amounts of infrastructure, equipment, water, energy and the value of the end product (recycled plastics) is diminished. Until we are able to change the narrative and modernize our recycling infrastructure, it just doesn't make sense economically. ## A case of Wish-cycling  It is also important to point out that one of the biggest problems contributing to this bottleneck is "[wish-cycling,"](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/why-recycling-plastic-doesnt-always-get-recycled?loggedin=true&rnd=1683821113822)where we wish something could be recycled so we put it in the recycling bin (to clear our conscience) and cross our fingers. In reality, it is a waste of time, resources and perpetuates this false belief that the act of recycling "recyclable items" is helping to make the Earth greener. Now don't get us wrong, recycling is most certainly a part of the solution, but it's not the only solution. Sustainable practices like upcycling, regenerative agriculture, drip irrigation, and vertical integration, to name a few, are pivotal in combating climate change--which is why we proudly [prioritize these methods](https://blog.joolies.com/pre-harvest-farm-visit) and more here at Joolies. ## In Conclusion This is just the tip of the iceberg and we highly encourage checking out the [Environmental Protection Agency's website for an even deeper dive into the antics of recycling and accredited resources.](https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/guide-facts-and-figures-report-about#Materials) At Joolies, sustainability is top of mind for us and always will be. From the thorough exploration of various packaging alternatives, our recent packaging transition has inspired us to share our learnings and shed light on the reality of recycling. We know that taking care of the planet is more important than ever and we are doing our part to ensure that our practices are as earth-friendly as possible. ## Shop Online Shop Our Online Store Today Joolies organic medjool dates are available in various sizes in Whole and Pit Free. We also carry delicious date-based snacks. Find us in stores across America or shop now! 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All Rights Reserved  |  [Design](https://310creative.com/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline":"Medjool Date Benefits During Pregnancy", "image": "https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/New%20Blog%20Compress%20Images/5_10.jpg", "url": "https://blog.joolies.com/medjool-date-health-benefits-pregnancy", "commentCount" : "0", "datePublished": "2020-03-04", "dateModified": "2020-09-08", "inLanguage": "en-US", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://blog.joolies.com/medjool-date-health-benefits-pregnancy" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT" }, "keywords": [ "medjool date benefits during pregnancy" ], "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Joolies California Superfruit", "url": "https://joolies.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0053/5786/3015/t/34/assets/joolies_logo_tm.png?v=12094821509155848712" } }, "articleSection": [ "Fiber is a pregnant woman’s best friend, and dates are a perfect vessel", "Dates are chock-full of pregnancy-friendly nutrients", "Dates can support a healthy labor", "Dates are a healthy sweet-treat that has a low glycemic index", "Dates-The Perfect Mother’s Day Treat" ], "articleBody": "Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate that special woman in your life who changed your diapers when you were little and wiped your tears when you went through your first break-up. It is also a day to recognize and support the pregnant mamas who are going to be a mother within the next few months. Being pregnant is hard work, so taking some time to recognize and support mamas-to-be on Mother’s Day will go a long way this year. You can surprise the pregnant lady in your life with a bunch of flowers or a fancy brunch, but why not give her something that can help support a healthy pregnancy, help with labor, and provide her with an unexpected sweet-treat? Organic medjool dates are a perfect food for pregnant women for many surprising reasons that we are going to dig into in this article. Medjool dates are considered a fresh fruit and grown on palm trees. Sometimes confused to be dried fruit or prunes, they are naturally sweet and have a caramel-like flavor. They’re also less perishable and long-lasting fruit that you can stock up on! Perfect on their own or for baking. There is nothing glamorous about constipation, but between 16 and 26 percent of pregnant women experience it according to data published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (1). For the most part, changes in hormone levels that naturally occur during pregnancy are to blame. Fortunately, there are many remedies available to help a mama get things moving a little more easily. Eating foods that are naturally rich in fiber is a perfect first line of defense. Most adults will need between 25 and 35 grams of fiber per day along with plenty of fluids to encourage regular number 2s. Dates have specifically been shown to help increase bowel movement frequency. In one study, people who ate dates for 21 days experienced increases in bowel movements compared to when they did not eat dates (2). A Joolies 3 Date Snack Pack provides 3 grams of fiber, which accounts for 11% of your daily recommended intake. Skipping the chalky fiber supplements and sneaking in some dates instead is a gentle and natural way to show a pregnant woman’s bowels some love. Trust us, she would much prefer to skip the constipation than be surprised with a dozen red roses any day of the week. If you have ever dreamed about finding a food that is loaded with important nutrients that support a developing baby that also satisfies a sweet tooth, then you are about to have your fantasy become a reality. Dates naturally contain many important nutrients that are needed in higher amounts during pregnancy, including folate, choline, iron, and magnesium according to the USDA (3). Eating a Joolies 3-Date Snack Pack daily along with a prenatal vitamin is a yummy way to ensure that mama is getting the right nutrition to support a growing baby in a simple and sweet way. While pregnancy can be a beautiful time in a woman’s life, sometime during the third trimester many women will start griping that she is SO ready to go into labor. While there are many myths surrounding ways to induce labor, eating dates has some real scientific data supporting their consumption. Specifically, eating dates has been shown to increase cervical ripening. .....Cervical what? Let’s start understanding the concept of cervical ripening by going back to sex-ed 101 and understanding what a cervix is: a tissue that connects the birth canal to the uterus. The cervix needs to ripen, or become softer, in order for labor to take place. No cervical ripening, no labor! When mama reaches the point where she is done with her pregnancy with a capital D, she may want to start bumping up her daily date consumption. Why, you ask? Data has found that eating around 70 grams of dates per day (equal to approximately 5 Joolies medjool dates per day) in late pregnancy may increase cervical ripening (4). 'It is recommended for pregnant women to consume dates to help with cervical ripening, particularly in the last weeks of gestation’, according to an article published in the Journal of Midwifery and Reproductive Health (5). In one study, researchers found that women who ate 6 dates a day for the 4 weeks before delivery had the following results: higher cervical dilatation and ripening at hospital admission lower c-section rate less need for certain medications shorter labor when compared with women who did not eat dates daily (6). Best of all, no studies have shown a negative effect of eating dates while pregnant. If a woman is late in her pregnancy and is ready to get her baby out of her belly ASAP, eating 5 or more dates per day will certainly not hurt, and may actually help speed things along! Pregnancy cravings aren’t just pickles and ice cream. From salty to sweet, there is no telling what a pregnant woman is going to NEED to eat at any given moment. Dates help satisfy sweet cravings in a healthy way thanks to their low glycemic index (7). With low glycemic foods, the carbs are digested more slowly and are less likely to give blood sugars a spike (8). They are also loaded with vitamins and minerals that sugary gummy bears and sour worms could never compete with. Instead of a box of chocolates this Mother’s Day, dip some Joolies medjool dates in some dark chocolate for an indulgent treat that gives mama a nutritional boost that her body needs. Organic medjool dates are a surprising and no-fuss treat that is perfect for an expectant mother to include in her diet. They are an easy food to toss in a purse in the beginning of the day or to enjoy as a dessert after a satisfying meal. Perfectly versatile, satisfying, and nutritious, Joolies medjool dates are a simple solution for pregnant mamas to help support her on her journey to motherhood. Written by: Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT Registered Dietician, Nutritionist, Women's Health Expert and Freelance Writer" } ```