Are you careful of how you dispose of your garbage?

I have a pet peeve and it’s the way Jamaicans dispose of our garbage. They often seem to unconsciously decide that when they throw it out the window while walking or driving along the road, it will magically find its way to the garbage bin.

As a result of this nonchalant view, there are unsightly heaps of  garbage that greet us on the roadway.  Whereas some might view it as a minor annoyance, there are deeper consequences to this unhealthy practice. The disposal of garbage is everybody’s business because the ramifications will affect everyone regardless of the community in which they live.

How can we solve the problem of disposing of our waste?

Waste Disposal

A number of communities have clean and efficient waste disposal plans. Unfortunately, there are too many which do not and as a result they dispose of their garbage in an unacceptable manner.

There needs to be a sense of civic duty that will encourage consumers to take pride in their communities and not throw their garbage in the streets. At school, students are educated about the dangers of improper waste disposal but what happens when they go home? Are these good practices being utilized by the parents?

Collection of garbage is a sore point for me. The trucks that collect the garbage in some areas are consistent in some ares. However as the article in the online version of The Gleaner dated July 7, 2016 stated, residents in Steer Town, St. Ann complained about lengthy delays in collection of their garbage.

They are not alone in their concern about large piles of garbage in their communities.

What though can consumers do to ensure that they play their part in ensuring garbage is reduced? Well why not take your garbage with you if there is no bin nearby! If you are with someone who is about to litter remind them to use a bin.

Recycle

Besides disposing of our garbage in an appropriate receptacle, the best thing consumers can do is to recycle.

Consumers can use all their biodegradable food garbage – like egg shells and banana peels –  to form a compost which will soon turn to soil that is great for planting. Plastic bottles can be reused so that you would not need to purchase them continually.

A number of schools have provided recycling bins that encourage students to separate the plastic bottles from other kinds of garbage.

Those are just some options for recycling our garbage.

Remember that we need to take care of our beautiful island!

What are your thoughts on the issue? Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner Online Writer

Tags: garbage