Just as Benjamin Braddock's potential father-in-law saw a great future in plastics in The Graduate, Legacy Health Systems in Portland, Oregon, is cashing in on recycling by salvaging plastic bottles and shrink wrap.

The hospital network's five facilities save approximately $315,000 annually by separating its waste and reusing or selling the plastics, cardboard and paper that otherwise would wind up as cost items headed to a landfill.

In most cases, recycling waste material has a clear financial advantage. Waste isn't just annoying and bad for the environment, it is bad for business, and many municipalities are legislating companies to "take their medicine" and change processes to eliminate waste. In Portland, recent legislation increased the percentage of mandatory recycling from 50 to 75 percent. While it takes time to sort through waste and reengineer manufacturing processes, in the long run sustainable practices are a sound investment.