Waste Reduction & Recycling
What's the problem?
The EPA estimates the U.S. generates over 292.4 million tons of solid waste per year. Of these 292.4 million tons, only 94 million tons are recycled or composted. Food waste especially continues to be an issue. An estimated 63 million tons of food was wasted in 2018. According to the EPA, “more food reached landfills and combustion facilities than any other single material in our everyday trash.” The biggest problem facing the recycling movement is contamination by non-recyclables. Prior to 2018, the U.S. relied on sending its contaminated recycled products to China, where a portion of the waste would be used in manufacturing plants and the rest that was deemed “beyond decontamination” would end up in the ocean, which had its own problems. When China stopped accepting imports of these contaminated recyclables, the U.S. had a rude awakening. It had to adapt its domestic recycling processes to manage the excess of recyclable goods. Most cities were unable to adapt and therefore retracted funding for their recycling plants, instead resorting to burning an alarming amount of recyclable products.
Why should we care?
According to the EPA, about 62% of materials, including food, paper, cardboard, textiles, and plastics, that enter a landfill could easily be recycled or composted. If items were correctly recycled, we could potentially divert more than half of what ends up in a landfill, and even cut down on carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions produced in the mining and processing of new raw materials. Too much waste poses problems through increased air pollution, groundwater contamination, and reduced biodiversity. When food waste is dumped in a landfill, for example, it rots and releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The U.S. 's method of burning recyclable waste similarly releases harmful gasses into the atmosphere -- especially in the case of plastics, which give off toxic fumes and threaten public health. In many cases, waste also ends up being dumped into the ocean. This marine pollution has become a global issue, with The World Wildlife Fund estimating that 100,000 marine mammals are killed by plastic pollution every year. The improper disposal of hazardous waste also affects the water and its organisms, as well as the surrounding soil and air. Our economy and way of life here in South Florida are both heavily reliant on the health of our ocean, as a peninsula state surrounded on three sides. More than just South Florida, a healthy ocean is necessary for a healthy planet, making the United Nations set the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources as its 14th Sustainable Development Goal.
What can we do?
Effectively dealing with our solid waste plays a large part in helping the environment. In addition to starting a recycling initiative, education on what can and cannot be recycled is important. 1 in 5 people don’t recycle simply because they aren’t sure what can and can be recycled. Miami-Dade County’s website is a good resource for how you should be recycling as a Miami-Dade County resident, as is Dream In Green’s very own Recyclepedia. An effective individual strategy is to limit your use of or completely cut out single-use plastics, like plastic straws, water bottles, and certain cups. As a school or community, you can complete a beach cleanup. You can also request your school’s cafeteria to include biodegradable utensils in cutlery packets, or a “throw-away” counter for students to put the food they personally don’t want but other students might, reducing the amount of food that ends up in cafeteria trash bins. Composting either at home or through a program at school can also greatly reduce our food waste and support local farmers. Lastly, we can support companies that are limiting or banning the use of non-biodegradable plastics in their products and spread the word about what can be done to minimize plastic pollution in our oceans.
Green Schools Challenge Activities:
STE(A)M Activity - The True Cost of Fashion
CREATE YOUR OWN - Submit Lesson Plan click here
Points for participation will be based on a rubric. Download here.
