we are not living in a sustainable way.
We generate 21.5 million tons of food waste each year.
If we composted that food, it would reduce the same amount of greenhouse gas as taking 2M cars off the road.
We threw away almost 9 million tons of glass.
That could fill enough tractor trailers to stretch from NYC to LA and back.
We disposed of 36 billion aluminum cans in landfills last year.
The scrap value of that is more than $600 million.
If we composted that food, it would reduce the same amount of greenhouse gas as taking 2M cars off the road.
We threw away almost 9 million tons of glass.
That could fill enough tractor trailers to stretch from NYC to LA and back.
We disposed of 36 billion aluminum cans in landfills last year.
The scrap value of that is more than $600 million.
our waste is slow to go.
Over 50% of our waste will end up in one of 2,000 active land fills in the US. Because decomposing is a slow process, the problem of excess waste is one that will last a long time. Consider the decomposition time for the these categories:
PAPER
5 Months |
PLASTIC
12 Years |
ALUMINUM
200 Years |
GLASS
Never |
our LANDFILLS ARE hazardous.
As a result of the large amount of waste we produce and the length of time it takes to decompose,
our landfills become larger by the day, with an increase in the following:
Soil & Water Pollution
Harmful chemicals contaminate groundwater, lakes and rivers.
Air Pollution
The release of harmful methane gas contributes to poor air quality and global warming.
Community Pollution
Decay and disease plague underserved populations where rag-picking
(rummaging through refuse to collect material for salvage) can cripple communities.
our landfills become larger by the day, with an increase in the following:
Soil & Water Pollution
Harmful chemicals contaminate groundwater, lakes and rivers.
Air Pollution
The release of harmful methane gas contributes to poor air quality and global warming.
Community Pollution
Decay and disease plague underserved populations where rag-picking
(rummaging through refuse to collect material for salvage) can cripple communities.