Earlier this month, Philadelphia Mayor Nutter presented his budget proposal to city counsel which included a $300 annual trash fee per household. Other local municipalities, like Norristown, recently announced a trash hauling fee as well.
In our busy lives it’s easy to put the trash out on the curb and forget about it. Don’t get me wrong, I have at times been a big fan of the ignorance is bliss philosophy. When it comes to the challenge of trash, there are serious consequences that are not only affecting us now but will compound for our children and future generations.
From our curbs trash goes to landfills some of which are in our neighborhoods and in some cases, trash is hauled around the world on barges spilling into our oceans along the way.
I recently spoke with a resident of Norristown who was outraged that the borough would add expenses to struggling families in these economic times. I listened and empathize with the financial burden on so many American families today and agree with my N-town neighbor…garbage costs.
- It costs us all financially whether you pay a hauler yourself or pay a tax or fee to your local government.
- It costs us in land as this trash must be “stored” somewhere. Currently we fill and close one landfill a year in the U.S.
- It costs our health as these garbage “storage” facilities can and have polluted groundwater and air. Landfill leachates rank as some of the most frequently recorded pollutants. Emissions from landfills produce smog causing respiratory problems like asthma.
- It costs us environmentally by contaminating soil and producing powerful green house gas. Decomposition in landfills can create methane gas.
In other cities in other parts of the world trash is handled quite differently it is common to pay to have your waste removed and the more garbage you produce the more you pay. The incentive to produce less waste of is real and monetary. Perhaps this model, would work well in U.S. cities.
There have been some brave experiments like that of “No Impact Man” and his family in New York City who spent a year of their lives working towards producing no trash. To find our more about his project visit Colin Beavan’s blog.
The really good news is that we can make small changes which will help these waste woes. Here are a few easy tips that will make a difference!
- Minimum Packaging – try to buy items with the least amount of packaging
- Preferred Packaging – if you buy packaged goods and we all do choose those packaged in recyclable materials like aluminum, paper and plastics #1 and #2
- Bring your own bags – millions of plastic bags are thrown away annually.
- Avoid disposables – Here are some tips that can really save you money. Cloth napkins instead of paper, Rags instead of paper towels, Stainless steel lunch containers and water bottles.
- Donate or Freecycle.org – Don’t throw out items that still have some life left in them. Someone else can benefit.
- Recycle – Every item that can be recycled or repurposed stays out of the land fill.
I have touched on a few happenings in the world of trash. If you have ideas about garbage, let me know.
