Most recycling efforts actually waste resources. Whereas it will always be economically wise to recycle aluminum, it is often unwise to recycle paper and it is

Most recycling efforts actually waste resources. Whereas it will always be economically wise to recycle aluminum, it is often unwise to recycle paper and it is always a waste of resources to recycle plastic. So why do it? As a practice, it helps indicate membership in a particular community. In that sense, it is like a secular halal/kosher practice: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Islamic_and_Jewish_dietary_laws https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Islamic_and_Jewi... Those are religious practices that help establish the legitimacy of one's belonging. Whereas Christianity is based on faith, Judaism is based on practice, and Islam is a bit of a mix. What if you are secular but you want to indicate the legitimacy of your belonging to a particular sub-culture? Practices such as recycling are useful in that regard. Note that recycling took off during the 1960s, an era that saw both widespread interest in spiritual matters yet also a turning away from traditional religions. Although halal/kosher behavior is always certified by men, the actual details of implementing it in a house are often left to women. It is up to Jewish women to make sure that all the food they buy is kosher. So in that sense, recycling follows an ancient pattern, already set by some of the world's biggest world religions.