Most people rarely think about trash, but what if being intentional with our waste could change the world??? The law of circulation governs our physical environment. Giving and receiving becomes cause and effect. It is natural law, and we are a part of nature.
Here is something mind-blowing to consider, “TRASH” IS ACTUALLY OUR BIGGEST UNTAPPED RESOURCE… Currently, Two-thirds of the material flowing through the world economy, 67.4 billion tons in 2015, gets emitted as pollution, or is disposed of as waste. And only 9% (9.3 billion tons) of the world’s total harvested resources are re-captured through recycling, composting, and other methods. Think about the impact of shifting even a small percentage of our waste out of disposal and back into circulation!
For the past year I have been researching waste. In fact, Brad has referred to me as the “waste woman” and buys me magazines with articles about trash (which I gladly devour). I could hang out with Oscar the Grouch. And I am looking forward to the end of Covid19 restrictions, so I can tour our local recycling facility and hug our garbage man. Okay, maybe just the recycling tour, but seriously we should give props to our sanitation workers.
My latest research is an article from National Geographic entitled, The End of Trash- Can We Save The Planet by Reusing All the Stuff We Make? It is a compelling read explaining how we are the only species of animal that does not embrace a circular resource system. It says, “A world without waste sounds impossible. But the vision of a circular economy – where we use resources sparingly and recycle material endlessly – is inspiring businesses and environmentalists alike.” We are all contributors to the worldwide waste systems, so CHANGE STARTS WITH YOU AND ME.
It starts with us doing the things we CAN DO to PROMOTE HEALTHY CIRCULATION in our homes, neighborhoods, and world communities:
We CAN avoid plastic, disposable, and temporary items.
We CAN consume less and appreciate more.
We CAN buy eco-friendly products.
We CAN shop second hand and have yard sales (maybe soon?).
We CAN reuse things.
We CAN vote with our dollars and buy things with sustainable packaging.
We CAN unsubscribe from junk mail and go paperless.
We CAN donate building materials.
We CAN burn yard waste and slash piles (following localized restrictions of course).
We CAN drink from refillable water bottles.
We CAN buy high quality products and keep them in use for as long as possible.
We CAN pick up trash in our neighborhoods and yards.
We CAN pull weeds.
We CAN collect rainwater.
We CAN use our cars and planes less (thanks Covid19).
We CAN compost.
We CAN buy and use recycled materials.
We CAN take the time and effort to sell, gift, and re-circulate our things.
We CAN properly dispose of exhausted things (see “How to Dump Like A Pro”), even the “weird” ones (see “Getting Rid of Weird Waste”).
We CAN learn about and use our best local disposal systems.
We CAN create more effective solutions for household hazardous waste. It starts with awareness. Current programs for household hazardous waste are extremely limited (if they exist) and cost prohibitive, because no one seems to care. Call your local officials and trash companies to let them know YOU CARE about finding solutions for household hazardous waste.
We CAN apply best practices to RECYLING. In my opinion (based on extensive research), the most efficient materials to recycle are glass bottles, metal cans, and cardboard. It is crucial to recycle plastic, even though our current system is broken (see next bullet point). Paper products are questionable when it comes to recycling, because often times the chemicals that remove coatings (think waxy advertisements) or inks are super toxic. When in doubt, throw it out, is actually a more helpful idea than recycling contaminated or questionable items due to the high financial and environmental costs they generate. Above all, keep plastic bags, wires, scrap metal, shredded paper, and other food waste (any container more than 10% dirty) OUT of your recycling bin. These items clog the recycling systems and generate even more landfill waste. Also, please follow your waste service company’s recycling procedures, as they do vary.
We CAN solve the plastic problem. I could literally write an entire article (and many other people have) about plastic alone. It is a serious problem we need to solve. A recent article from Fortune, “Vicious (Re)Cycle”, leads with the following, “With the world drowning in plastic, the need for recycling is more acute than ever. But the industry that handles all that waste is on the verge of collapse.” For those of you who hadn’t heard, China stopped accepting U.S. plastic recycling in 2018 as American’s recycling contamination rate (around 30%) had far exceeded economic viability. China now only accepts a plastic contamination rate of less than 1%. Another important note is that there is a huge environmental cost to shipping recycling halfway across the world. We need to create and support local plastic recycling systems! Also, just like other materials, we CAN use fewer plastics and keep plastics in use for as long as possible.
We CAN grow a garden and plant a tree.
We CAN unplug things when we are not using them.
We CAN turn off faucets and lights.
We CAN do laundry in cold water.
We CAN let dishes air dry.
We CAN protect and promote our environment in small and big ways every day!
The old adage “reduce, reuse, recycle” needs clarifying…
USE LESS, KEEP THINGS IN USE LONGER, and RECYCLE ENDLESSLY!!!
I believe we humans, and our corresponding environments, are meant to flow like a river, healthy and abundant, we CAN give freely knowing the source is infinite!
And so, take a big breath with me, Inhale, Exhale, and Repeat.
And know, WE CAN WASTE LESS AND CIRCULATE MORE!
Love Always and Happy Earth Day,
Meg
Comments