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11 Surprising Facts About the Things We Throw Away

One nation's trash could be put to much better use. We ponder what's being squandered.

By Katie Arnold-Ratliff

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

Had the estimated 32.7 billion aluminum cans tossed out in 2011 been redeemed at recycling centers, they could have netted about $820 million.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

More than four million pairs of eyeglasses are trashed annually, according to Unite for Sight.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

22.3 billion pounds of textiles, including clothing, were thrown away in 2010.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

The roughly 38,000 miles of ribbon we toss each year is "enough to tie a bow around the Earth," points out California's department of recycling.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

According to the Rubber Manufacturers of America, 1.3 billion pounds of tires wound up in landfills in 2009.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

In 2010, Americans got rid of 152 million cell phones and other mobile devices, of which 135 million made their way to the trash.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

Each year more than 350 million pairs of shoes march into landfills, according to the charity Shoes for the Cure.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

Ditto nearly 20,000 tons of used tennis balls, says reBonus, a recycling business.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

Americans manufacture about one billion CDs and DVDs annually, millions of which end up in the trash, says the CD Recycling Center of America.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

Over ten million bikes are dumped into American and European landfills yearly, says Bicycles for Humanity.

Illustration: Jose Luis Merino

15.8 million tons of reading material (books, magazines) and other paper products were trashed in 2010.

Next: Peter Walsh's 5 ways to declutter your home this weekend

From the March 2013 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine