Hank Green did a good short video on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvAznN_MPWQ
TL;DW: It is important that individuals show that there is a real problem and that they perform actions that address the problem. This demonstrative behaviour leads to social dynamics where more people feel encouraged to perform actions and to drive larger change.
You need to start somewhere.
That puts recycling on the "I'm helping to spread awareness by temporarily adding a note to my Twitter bio" tier of action. It's better than nothing, but it's only a little better.
Doing a little better than nothing becomes a big deal when everyone is doing it.
We know there is a real problem, awareness is not the issue. (I've been aware of it since the mid 90's) It is ignored by large industries and governments. The incessant pounding of the useless drum of individual action continues to go absolutely nowhere. We need government and industry to take action not individuals. I will no longer placate this idea that individual action is at all useful.
While true we did that years ago and the other side is simply ignoring it.
Worse, the people we sold the idea too are stuck on it: they're convinced the solution must and totally be the performance, not the result.