Nobody wants a pile of garbage in their backyard, so when the government decides to build a new landfill, the hair starts flying. People are very willing to fight against trash, and trying to get a new landfill regulated and construction started can take years of bureaucracy (the regulations have been getting stricter over the years, see them at the
EPA site). In the end, the poor minority people have no choice but to take up the burden, since they don't have much influence in politics. In New York, the Fresh Kills Landfill was scheduled to be shut down in 2001. Where was the trash going to go? Almost all of the 85 stations in New York ended up in the industrial zones by the waterfront that is home to many low-income minority neighborhoods. A neighborhood mostly full of Puerto Ricans and blacks (Hunts Point) sees 40% of the city's privately collected trash every day. The huge number of trash that goes through the neighborhood has caused asthma rates to skyrocket in the last decade. To see the full article, go
here.
Not a very pretty picture, is it?
Statistics show that the average American is producing more and more trash. According to the
EPA, in 1960, a person made around 2.7 pounds of trash per day. In 2005, that number rose to 4.5 pounds of trash per day. When you factor in population growth, the difference in the amount of trash America as a whole produces from 1960 to 2005 is staggering.
Here's a little
trivia. Landfills are closing at about a rate of 1 landfill per day. There was more than 18000 landfills in 1979. By 1995, there was only about 3000 landfills. While there was a 84% drop in the number of landfills in those 16 years, there was a 80% increase in the amount of trash. It's clear that if we don't take care of our growing trash problem soon, we'll be buried in it ourselves, and the first people to be buried will be the bottom of society.
Statistics show that the average American is producing more and more trash. According to the EPA, in 1960, a person made around 2.7 pounds of trash per day. In 2005, that number rose to 4.5 pounds of trash per day. When you factor in population growth, the difference in the amount of trash America as a whole produces from 1960 to 2005 is staggering.
3 comments:
Because each year Americans produce more trash individually, I think the solution to this problem has to start with the citizens of the world. If each person can reduce their trash, either by recycling more or just limiting their consumption of goods, then I think we will find a large portion of our waste disappearing. Of course, to get cooperation of people around the globe is very unlikely, people can always just start within their community, and maybe eventually spread nationally or even globally.
I agree with Cameron's approach. If we focus on the individual, or each family, and show there are benefits to a reduction of solid waste, we might see the problem lessen. Across the world, people are faced with different problems, and if they see an incentive such as a financial benefit to reducing solid waste, individuals and families would be more inclined to help. For countries in which solid waste is the least of their worries, we should provide a political or economic benefit. This may come in the form of decreased tariffs, foreign aid or more trading options.
I have recently read something that is truly interesting. In an essay called “The Land Ethic”, written by Aldo Leopold, I have gained some new perspective on the idea of our responsibility for our environment. The waste and destructive use of our natural resources has progressively become an eminent issue of concern. Many believe that simply promoting and talking about the different ways we can better our relationship with our environment is enough. But after reading “The Land Ethic”, I believe that our entire outlook on the matter needs to change. If everyone has the same love and understanding of our responsibility to the land we live on, we would be better off.
-kelly
Post a Comment