Recycling Through the Ages

Recycling hasn't just occurred recently due to a "green" mania. Throughout the ages, particularly the Roman and Medieval in this case, recycling was a prominent way to rebuild civilizations. The Romans recycled water like it was their job , which in a way it kind of was. Their aqueducts which ran from the mountains were used in fountains over and over again so that new water would not have to be summoned again and wasted. They also recycled Greek art in a way by bringing back the old and presenting it as the new. Once the Roman Empire fell the people were left in chaos with no civilization to help them out and flourish. Bricks from roads and Hadrian's wall were used to build houses. They also used the Coliseum to dump their trash into as well as use for bricks and other uses. The people in Britain used the metal coins for armor and other necessities once the mines built by the Romans were deserted and had neither the men nor the knowledge to work them. AS one can see, Recycling is rather a product of the past no the future.