I recently got a tour of the Miramar Landfill and had the opportunity to walk on top of more than 1 million tons of trash. Granted there was a thick layer of dirt between me and the trash.
If you're curious about what a blue whale has to do with our country's solid municipal waste, you can read more about it in my article about the landfill.
And why would you or I be interested in a landfill anyway??
Well, it all starts a long time ago, in a quaint village far, far away... I read this story in school, but it resonates in light of landfills and the environment.
Many people bring up the problem of trash and how bad it is for the environment but few people discuss ways to reduce your garbage out put. I remember in elementary school talking about buying products that had less packaging or in containers that are easier to recycle but it seems like society has been numbed by to much talk and not enough action.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has some good suggestions on how to reduce waste I'm all ears!
Also I heard that San Fransisco just started requiring separation of compost.
Well, a couple good suggestions that I can think of off the top of my head:
ReplyDeleteUse cloth rags instead of paper towels for cleaning.
Reuse plastic bags or buy the resusable shopping bags you can get from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, etc.
Support places that use biodegradable plastics (my local farmer's market has a lot of vendors that use biodegradable plastic bags and Yogurtland uses spoons that are biodegradable).
If you have the room, start a compost bin.
I agree that we've been numbed by all the talk. I remember feeling back in elementary school that recycling was this big, heroic endeavor. Now, it seems like it's "recycle when you feel like it".
ReplyDeleteI think another limited resource is time. It might be easier to reduce waste if we all had more time. But there are so many disposable things that save us time. Using disposable cups and utensils is so much easier than washing and reusing your own. In the long run it may not be easier, though.
Also, I found a great site about "The Story of Stuff" from my friend. It's a 20 min video explaining the whole life cycle of "stuff". It's insightful, easy to understand, and eye-opening.
not that this will help to reduce waste in anyway, but i remember learning in elementary school how the clear plastic rings from 6-pack beverages were a problem to many wildlife living near landfills (seagulls getting their feet caught, smaller animals getting their necks caught and choking) and ever since, i always cut slits into all of the rings before throwing them away.
ReplyDeletei'm happy to say i don't buy those kinds of packaged drinks anymore, but you've got me thinking now about some of the other stuff i throw away. i'll be more careful. thanks.