Overfull bins in Belfast where rubbish is about to blow around the street and into the ocean. A lot of this rubbish could have been recycled or even avoided completely.
When did the planet become a rubbish tip?
“Out of sight, out of mind” is often the attitude we apply to waste. Single use packaging fulfils its purpose so it gets thrown into the bin, carried away and buried in a hole, never to be seen again.
Never again?...
Increasingly we are having to confront this attitude to waste as the environmental devastation becomes more and more obvious. Plastic is even making its way into the most remote, pristine environments in the world, including the Arctic where it is ingested by the wildlife, strangles sealife, damages ecosystems and risks food security (1). However, it isn`t necessary to go to the most northerly continent to see the devastation of rubbish. The impacts are all around us – waste is in the gardens we sit in, the beaches we walk along, the rivers we swim in and even in the food we eat. One study found microplastics and debris in all muscles sampled from UK oceans, estimating that 70 pieces of microplastics were contained in every 100g of mussels consumed (2).
Clearly, our constant consume-and-throw-away culture is unsustainable.
It is estimated that 8 million coffee cups are thrown away every day (3). And that is only in the UK! Using recycled cups would save one million trees a year in Britain (4). Not only does recycling reduce the amount going into landfill, but it also reduces energy production, fossil fuels and saves the ecosystems people depend on.
The environmental consequences of waste that is not dealt with properly are devastating nature, wildlife and the lives of people. Everyone produces waste and it is everyone’s responsibility to minimise the impact of waste on the planet.
Which is why when you see a bin that is already full, take your rubbish home and recycle it instead of leaving it lying on top of the bin where it will undoubtedly get blown onto the street or into the ocean.
Even better… don’t create the rubbish in the first place. Use a reusable water bottle or coffee mug, bring a packed lunch so you don’t need to buy food wrapped in packaging, carry items in a sturdy backpack rather than a disposable plastic bag, use material face masks instead of disposable ones.
The rubbish problem is everyone’s problem. However, collective small lifestyle changes can make a big impact.
2. https://www.hull.ac.uk/work-with-us/more/media-centre/news/2018/microplastics-found-in-mussels-from-uk-waters