Gregory Wittbecker of Alcoa rejoins “Green is Good” to talk about recycling aluminum. There is a 95% energy savings when recycling aluminum, as opposed to making new products. The amount of electricity saved when recycling 1 ton of aluminum — in any form — is equal to the energy needed to power the average American home for 15 months. Clearly, recycling aluminum is of the utmost importance! Now, Alcoa is partnering with a number of other companies on recycling projects that will expand recycling awareness across the U.S. “There have been enormous strides in terms of energy efficiency of manufacturing aluminum, its recyclability and the amount of greenhouse gases saved by using these new, energy-efficient materials,” Wittbecker says. “The amount of greenhouse gases we generate today manufacturing aluminum cans is 44% less than 17 years ago, and the typical aluminum can is 15% lighter than it was.”