July 9, 2024
Over two billion metric tons of unsustainable, human-generated waste are thrown away globally every year, entering our environment and polluting every ecosystem around the world. If we continue practicing waste management strategies as we do today, the total waste generation for 2050 is projected to be around 3.78 billion metric tons, representing a 1.66 billion metric ton increase in waste since 2020. In other words, we are creating more trash than ever!
Sixty-two percent of global waste is collected in controlled municipal facilities, with the remaining 38% dumped, burned, or discarded. Of the total municipal waste that is collected, 19% is recycled and 30% ends up in sanitary landfills. Sanitary landfills essentially try to keep the trash “out” of the environment, away from water sources, for example. They also use landfill gas collection systems to keep greenhouse gasses (GHGs), created by decomposing trash, from being released directly into the atmosphere.
Trash Exacerbates Climate Change
In the United States, the primary system for controlling waste is the use of these ‘sanitary’ landfills, this type of site is expensive to operate and only accounts for 8% of the world’s landfills in total.
The most common type of landfill, accounting for 31% globally, is an ‘open’ system. These landfill systems allow different types of waste, such as microplastics and toxic chemicals, to leak out of the trash and into the soil, groundwater, and nearby waterways.
These open landfill sites also allow greenhouse gasses, like carbon dioxide and methane, to be released directly into the atmosphere. Researchers have discovered that 20% of the total methane emissions from human-related sources are produced from open waste landfill sites. Methane is one of the largest contributors to climate change with a warming potential over 80 times greater than carbon dioxide.
How Our Trash Impacts the Environment
If people would spent just one hour today picking up trash, that would potentially remove thousands of pieces of trash, beautifying the area while also protecting wildlife, plant life, waterways, soil and ecosystems from toxic and dangerous chemicals and materials they shouldn't be introduced to.
Many shocking photos demonstrate just how globally pervasive and horrifying the problem really is.
Will you practice setting good examples and help clean up the Earth?
Genesis 1;26 And God said, Let us make man in Our image, and teach him to be like Us: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
2:15 ](King of kings' Bible - Genesis)And the "I AM" God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Psalm 24:1 The earth [is] the "I AM"'s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.
11:18](King of kings' Bible - Revelation) And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the Time of the "Dead" (Matt. 8:22), that they should be Judged, and that Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy Servants the Prophets, and to the holy people, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the Earth.
These verses show that God cares for his creation — and expects us to do the same. This could look like taking small steps to use less plastic or paper products, wash dishes by hand, make your own environment friendly soaps, shop secondhand for everything, you'd be surprised what you can find at the dump that can be fixed and used instead of running out buying new, recycle.
Wood, paints housing supplies are available second hand like clothing and most household items. Thinking of others donate old clothing being committed to STOPing waste on all levels thereby striving to cleanup what is littered up if at all possible.
God help us.
Cigarette Butt Litter Legislation in Spain
Take out the papers and the trash