Let's Talk Trash
Where Does our Garbage Go?
Let's Talk Trash
Americans generate an average of 4.5 pounds of waste per person every day. That is more garbage per person than in any other country (Recology Classroom Guide)! Where does all of this garbage go? In 2015, approximately 35% of waste was composted or recycled, 13% was combusted (burnt) and 52% was sent to a landfill (EPA, 2015).
A landfill is a place where garbage is dumped into a large hole in the ground. Once the hole is full, it is sealed with a special material (usually plastic) and then covered with soil. Another hole is dug and the process repeats. Our trash is taken to the Yolo County Landfill just north of Davis. You can actually see the mound of soil surrounding the landfill if you look northeast as you are driving near Harper Junior High!
Count all the Recycleables You See
The photo below was taken at a typical landfill. Take a closer look at the photo. What do you see? Can you see items that don't belong in the landfill? Plastic containers, clean paper boxes, and clean paper can be recycled into new containers, boxes, and paper. Glass and metal containers can be recycled into new containers as well. Soiled paper, boxes, and food scaps can be composted, or processed into healthy soil for our gardens. These items do not belong in a landfill. Click the photo below. Can you count all the recycleable materials in the landfill?
Watch this short video to learn about how Davis Highschool Students reduced the garbage waste at their school! The results are amazing.
What can you do?
As shown in the video above, sorting waste into proper containers can greatly decrease the amount of material that ends up in our landfills. Over the next several weeks, we will learn how to sort our recyclable materials, compost organic materials, and reduce our consumption. Stay tuned!
photo credit: Recology (https://www.recology.com/recology-davis/carts-collection/)