Dont waste time- act now (Waste disposal)

Member Name: timmah10

Product:	Waste disposal
Date:	10/03/06 (167 review reads)
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Those of you who have read my reviews before will know that I'm all about looking after the environment and recycling is one of those issues which I feel is badly misunderstood so hopefully this will be of use to those of you who may be unclear about it.

Our planet has a limited amount of resources and a limited capacity to absorb our waste without suffering, for us to live sustainably we must use our resources effectively and work within the limits the planet can allow for. Recycling is seen by many people to be the answer to our resource shortages however I will argue that it is not.

Recycling requires a lot of energy it requires more energy to recycle glass than to make some new and there is usually a lot of transport involved too. However I'm not saying we shouldn’t recycle it’s just- PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE.

Glass bottles used to have a deposit on them, refundable on return and milkmen used to deliver the milk each morning and then collect the empties with their next round then just wash the bottles and reuse them, what a great system- so efficient! However I notice now that everyone chooses to buy the milk in a plastic bottle, why? Well I’m not to sure but it doesn’t make too much sense to me.

Fruit and veg is the same, Bananas come ready wrapped for us by nature, and it’s called a banana skin. So why is it that we insist on rewrapping them in plastic? Then to add insult to injury, we put them in yet another plastic bag to carry them home. Does this seem sensible to you?

So what happens to our waste? Well most of this countries waste is dumped into landfill sites; these are more complex than just a hole in the ground and have to be located very carefully. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your stance, we are running out of geologically suitable landfill sites and must find alternative ways to dispose of our waste. Incineration is a method chosen in most European countries, but in the UK public opinion is strongly against it, however it is this or nothing, as not all waste can be disposed of in the alternative bioreactors. Incineration is far cleaner than most people believe, and can be used to generate power as can bioreactors however if you are one of these people who would rather not have one near you- and I suspect there are a lot of you- then there is only one alternative.

Cut down on the amount of waste you produce. Firstly this can be achieved by buying more sensibly, buy the loose fruit and veg and carry it home in a reusable box rather than a load of plastic bags which you will throw away. Return any bags you don’t use to the shop- most health food shops will appreciate this, however some shops will not:
I was the other day in WHSmiths and they had run out of bags, luckily I had a load as I was on my way to drop them off, I offered to give them to the shop but they said they couldn’t use them as they didn’t say WHS! This seemed to annoy all the customers who were without bags and frankly it was a bit stupid- advertising before both customer care and the environment. I gave the customers the bags myself, but this is the type of attitude we must change.

Buy fresh food whenever you can, it usually has less packaging (*and is better for you) but if you must buy tins etc, recycle them. It’s easy, just use a box and put them in rather than in the bin. If you must buy bottled water, refill it, you can compare the values of your tap water online- you will be surprised it is almost always better than bottled due to higher restrictions. Be careful though many companies are wise to this and make it so that their bottles leak intentionally.

When Recycling it is always important to remember, do not make journeys specifically for that purpose, try and find a centre that is on one of your existing routes or is less of a detour as we want to save all the energy (and money) we can.

Get wise to the situation, councils and companies will deliberately try to mislead you. Many do not recycle or drive their waste for miles. Write letters to them, I know it’s using paper, but it will be worth it if enough people do it and they listen. Try to set up a scheme at work, many customers will choose you because of this.

Is it the councils responsibility? Yes and no. It’s all of our responsibility, they should provide us with ample locations and collections to make it easier for us, and should educate our children- it annoys me when I see them not recycling, and if you work for the council, does your office/section? Many environmental agencies really do not care; the forestry commission near me leaves all of their lights and pc’s on at night, is this good for the environment??? I doubt it; just like I doubt they recycle- shows how much they really care. It’s the producer’s responsibility- why do they need so much packaging???- well because it makes the product look higher quality when it’s probably not. But most of all it is your responsibility to do your part and motivate others around you.

Summary: It's all of our responsibility