As consumption increases alongside human population growth, landfills are reaching capacity at a fast rate.
Wisconsin faces pressure with landfill capacity as they fill up with neighboring garbage. Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois have landfills reaching capacity and thus have been dumping their trash into Wisconsin’s borders. On average one landfill closes a day and thus states and nations are becoming increasingly dependent to be one another’s trash can.
The average person creates 56 tons of trash every year. That’s a lot of waste. Think about how much you use in your daily activities starting from the moment you wake up and go to work, then come home and go to bed. Make a mental note of the smallest thing you throw away to the largest item and calculate that on a daily basis. Every little bit adds up.
According to the Clean Air Council, only about one tenth of all solid waste in the United States gets recycled. Our major downfall is disposable items.
So many people throw items away without considering whether it can be recycled. Americans have become preoccupied with the instant gratification “grab and go” lifestyle so much that our waste habits have adopted the same immediate response: To simply use items without thinking where they came from or where they will end up.
A small item such as one aluminum can wastes as much energy as if that can were half full of gasoline. According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic bags per year, which requires approximately 12 million barrels of oil to make. Bear in mind that plastic bags truly are forever, they do not decompose.
Despite the discouraging consumption habits, there is a silver lining around the junk filled cloud. As we slowly begin to realize how wasteful and lazy our society is when it comes to devouring habits, we are adopting better recycling techniques and learning to become a more sustainable culture.
With the costs of gas and oil continuously reaching new highs, industries are becoming more innovative with waste management by adopting new technology that can turn waste into energy. Citizens are taking the initiative within their work environments by encouraging better recycling programs and introducing biodegradable products.
With summer finally approaching, there are many ways to take individual measures to lessen your carbon footprint and be more environmentally friendly in a way that will help your wallet stay fat.
- Buy used, vintage clothing. It’s fashionable and inexpensive.
- On average, Americans waste 14 percent of food purchases. Instead of throwing away your organics, create a compost pile. It’s less garbage and it’s good for the soil.
- Now that weather is warmer, have a rummage sale. Anything you don’t sell, donate.
- Cut back on the junk mail by having electronic billing and take your name off mailing lists by contacting companies and having your address removed.
- Bring a cloth bag or old plastic shopping bag to the grocery store.
- Most importantly, only buy what you need. Rethink every purchase and consider how much you will actually use the item.
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