Consumerism
We currently live in a society that places a large emphasis on buying products. Whether it be bags of chips, makeup, or even ordering from restaurants, the amount of items we purchase on a daily basis is extraodinary. Although these goods may make us happy, they come at a cost. All the packaging and wrappings and containers that come with these goods are waste, and unfortunately, waste like this cannot be gotten rid of without damaging our environment.
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Landfills
Most of the non-organic and disposable waste that we accumulate is transported and placed in landfills within our communities. In the United States alone, 121 million tons of waste are placed into landfills yearly. This is equivalent to the weight of 233 Empire State Buildings.
In total, 2.3 trillion pounds of waste are sitting in landfills across the world. This may seem quite safe; all the waste is gathered into one area so it is all contained, right? Wrong. Landfills are an issue for two main reasons. Firstly, they emit greenhouse gases, particularly methane. This CH4 builds in the atmosphere and traps electromagnetic waves from the sun, thus heating the earth and contributing to global warming. Also, liquid seeps through landfills and collects at the bottom, all the while collecting toxins and pollutants from the waste. This liquid, called leachate can spread throughout the soil in our environments, potentially hindering plant growth and decreasing productivity by exposing these plants to toxins. |