New Yorkers produce approximately 50,000 tons of residential and commercial waste every day. This adds up to quiet a lot of waste that gets dumped into the landfills. These landfills might contain your waste for a little while but in the future this solid waste is going to decompose anaerobically, and produce methane gas which is a Green House Gas and contaminates our climate.
Climate change is a much discussed topic both politically and economically. The tons of waste that goes to these landfills will cause more GHGs to evolve and mix with our environment. When some of these waste materials show up in your backyard, that’s when you notice and demand for a change. What about those tons of solid waste that might have ended up in someone else’s backyard?
A proper waste management system needs to be in place for New Yorkers. They need awareness programs on food and waste management because of the amount of waste produced. Those lettuce leaves, tomatoes, and pizza that you did not eat could decompose and produce harmful GHGs.
The city has been stuffing landfills in different states but those landfills have already reached their limit. That’s why in 2006, the city decided to devise a 20-year waste management plan.
The waste produces methane and carbon dioxide, which are GHGs. Methane is 23 times more harmful than carbon dioxide and thus pollutes our environment forcing an undesired climate change.
The solution to this problem is simple – reuse, reduce and recycle. The recycling process saves a lot of money and protects our environment from these harmful GHGs. This only happens due to the solid waste that ends up in the landfills.
Facts You Should Know
According to some facts and figures on waste production in the US:
- 42% of GHG emission is caused by preparing, processing and disposal of food
- 29% is due to the provision of goods produced
- 13% due to the provision of food produced
- 15% due to local transport
- 9% other transport
- 1% infrastructure
- 8% is caused by appliance and devices we use
- 25% due to lighting
Some states have adapted technology which breaks down these GHGs into energy. This reusable energy is known as bio mass. Most of these GHGs can be converted into energy forms to help in other processes. Land filling is very hazardous and the GHGs produced in the anaerobic decomposition of these waste products contribute to global climate change.
Source: www.epa.gov
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