Do you dispose of your waste properly?

I was cruising down Highway 2000 and enjoying the scenery when suddenly I felt as if something had brushed against my cheek before it flew past my window.  I was startled and turned around to see what had caused the strange sensation.

In the distance I could see debris on the road. The driver of the car in front of me was randomly throwing garbage out of his car.

Why do people litter?

Although there are laws on the books that lay down punitive restrictions on littering, they are often not enforced. Even pedestrians place litter on the ground even if there are bins located near by. I have always believed that persons who litter are really short sighted.  After all we live here so what happens when garbage is not properly disposed? The man who tosses garbage out of a moving car simply does not see the potential danger in his actions.

Disposal of garbage in certain communities is poor because of a lack of facilities but it can also become a habit. People usually litter outside their own neighborhood where their trash becomes someone else’s problem.
Once litter starts to pile up, people feel even less responsible for adding to the litter.

Disposal Suggestions

In communities where garbage collection is either irregular or nonexistent there are still ways to dispose of your garbage. One way you can ‘use’ your garbage and in doing so reduce waste.

This can be done by creating compost for your garden. You can do this with a simple compost pile, or speed things up with a compost bin filled with worms that will digest the trash and do the work for you.

Once it’s completely composted, you can use it in your garden as a rich fertilizer.

Another good tip is to reduce the amount of garbage you bring in your home in the first place.  So if for example you are going shopping for shoes, leave the boxes at the store. It is also important to monitor the number of plastic items we use.  These items can be reused instead of being thrown out!

Reuse /Recycle

Many items can be re-purposed with a little bit of creativity and hard work! What can you think of that can be used instead of simply thrown away?

Persons who try this find that it saves them money too.

What are your thoughts on the issue?  Check back here for the rest of this discussion!

Teri Ann Paisley

Gleaner Online Writer

Tags: garbage, litter, waste