The final chapter of Garbology starts with Bea Johnson and her lack of care for things in her storage, she realized that those things were not neccessities. Humes explains how there is power in saying NO. Her family downsized and they were very happy because they did not need to clean as much and they stayed organized. They were living in a "near-zero-waste lifestyle" as Humes said. They also said money, Humes said that they saved 40 percent of what they were spending (Humes 270). Bea's idea of the American Dream made me ponder...big house and fancy cars and tons of stuff that are not really needed. This is the American Dream? To be filled with objects of any sort, anything and everything. What a waste. I like Bea's added R in the eco friendly 3 R's . So it was reduce, reuse, recycle, and now refuse. Since saying NO to things can benefit you in the long run. It is less things to throw away. Humes explains how the Johnson family is living in a zero-wate household. It was interesting to c how it works, they don't even use toothpaste tubes made of plastic. They started using toothpowder in glass jars. They don't even use cleaning supplies they use vinegar water a little soap on everything. Bea seems to very dedicated to making sure she does not waste, Humes said she even bring tubs of glass milk cartons at her market so she wont waste the plastic(Humes 276). I love the idea that Bea has about taking their children out for their birthdays to trips, instead of buying extra things/gifts. Humes said many people would point out all the things Bea was doing wrong, thats sad that after her hard work of helping our environment, people are getting mad at her for minor things. She is someone who many of us should look up to and we should follow her eco friendly ways. Humes ends the book by saying it is up to each one of us to make the difference. Changing our old wasteful habits is the only way to a clean and healthy environment. I have learned so much about this book, things that will always cross my mind. I now feel the guilt of throwing things away and that shows a change in habit.
english113A
Monday, November 4, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
two articles- continental drift and incinerators
The first article called "Continental Drift-How Much Might UK Waste Exports Grow? explains how Eunomia is headed for overcapacity and they are scared that soon the trash will build up so much that it will fall all on them. This article shows the different imports and exports from UK to other places. Most of Northern Europe has overcapacity as it shows on the maps. This article explains how exporting is better then incinerators as the UK does. The big question in the future for UK is if they should continue with the use of incinerators or even make them bigger.
The next article "Burning waste has many negative environmental, social and health consequences" by Gaia explain how incinerators are very harmful because it is filled with many toxic chemicals that effects our air, water, and land. It is also stated that these toxins enter our food chain and they can cause many heath issues. They also explain how the ask from the incinerators need to have their own landfills because of all the ash. Due to the fact that this is a finite planet, it is crucial that very end this habit of consuming and disposing. This article states that it is better to recycle then to do the waste-to-engergy incinerators. It is sad to hear that they are proposing to putting incinerators in poor countries, not only are they suffering from shortages of food and other necessities but they have to live with even more health problems due to the toxins from these incinerators.
Garbology Chapter 11
This chapter talks mostly about Portland, Oregon. Humes explains how they are very green and they even have more bicycle racks then actual parking space along with many bike lanes. They also have Alphine chalets which are cable cars which take people everywhere from downtown, to universities, to medical centers as Humes states. Although Portland makes a lot of trash, they do all that they can to be green. They divert as much trash as they can. In Arlington they have a experimental process called plasma gastification that uses electrical energy to vaporize the trash. Humes states "This garbage death ray reduces trash volume by 99 percent, not even leaving ash behind"(Humes 251). This process is very expensive unfortunately. I thought it would be an amazing way to get rid of trash! Another place Humes talks about is Copenhagen, Denmark. They seem to have it all worked out, from everyone on bikes, to energy independence, to using zero fossil fuels in the future. Only 3 to 4 percent of their trash goes to their landfills, Humes states. They are turning trash into a energy source. They keep waste to energy plants by their neighborhoods, saying that most are proud of it. Denmark runs most of its power on wind! The rest in energy from their trash!
Friday, October 25, 2013
Garbology Chapter 10
Chapter 10 was eye catching to me because instead of just talking the talk, Andy Keller made a solution to our trash crisis. His focus was on the plastic bags, he went to the landfill and was astonished by the amount of plastic bags dumped there. He came up with a solution, and Humes says he wasn't even a skilled worker in this particular subject. He started making reusable bags to substitute plastic bags called ChicoBags. He started selling them but it was slow as many of us know that people find it more convenient to just get plastic bags. I think he is very smart for selling it to schools as funrasier instaed of candies that schools already selled. This way, it was healthy and eco-friendly. Schools started to sell them and Keller relly got dediated to it as he would go edcuare the students on the amount of plastic nags being used. Humes says they did an experiment where everyone would get as much plastic bags as they had form home, bring it to school, and see how many times it wnet arounf the school. Everyone was surpiresded with the amount. Keller breally opened the eyes of many. He also came up with "Bag Monster" it was sort of like a mascot as u can see in the picture above. Humes states that schools loved hime and would want him to go make demonstrations about why plastic bags are bad. He even made a website about bag monster and he made tour where he would show people why plastic was bad and his friends helped by doing the same. He really is passionate about trying to ban plastic bags! Sadly plastic bag companise started getting mad with the Bag Monster, but then Humes states that San Francisco banned the use of plastic bags in grocery stores! There were so many other places that took the heat from plastic companies and it became a plastic war!
Garbology Chapter 9
Chapter 9 is very interesting because Humes talks about how trash was used as art. I though tit was very creative and a good way to educate people on the amount of trash that is being thrown away. It was interesting to me that in San Francisco , they had to separate their trash into different piles or else they would be fined! Humes states 1,000 dollars fine! That to me seemed like a great idea because people will be more willing to help their environment in a orderly system. The residents in San Francisco would have campaigns about getting rid of trash or even just making others be aware of the garbage crisis. They would use their art to symbolize the overload of trash in the environment. Hume also explains what recycling theft is and why it is important to watch out for. Basically it is when people grab things from others' recycling bins and go to recycling centers and sell them as their own, doing so effects the garbage/recycling companies because they waste gas and time coming to pick up peoples recycling. When they get there, the recycling bins are empty. The Dump seemed so intersting, many that work their are fascinated with the trash they get and Humes states that they act like archeologists or scientists figuring out the uses for the trash. It is definitely a different way to look at our trash crisis.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Garbology Chapter 8
This chapter did not really catch my attention, although some parts were important to know. Bill Rathje, the archeologist, started a garbage project which basically was used with his students. They did independent projects on the difference in trash between a poor family and a rich family. They said it was pretty equal but the poor family spent more on child education. There was one quote that Rathje said that I found very true "Most people don't know their trash...but through their trash, we sure do know a lot about them."I found that very interesting and also very true. Trash can tell you so much about the person throwing it away, even in the ancient times. Archeologist have found out so much about the past from their trash. That is very interesting. Due to the successful experiment with the two families (the poor and rich) , the Garbage Project became huge and spread more and more. They used the garbage project from examining food wastes to toxic household waste. The Garbage Project also helped with the incomes and demographics in different neighborhoods.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Response to article about incinerators
The question was "How would you feel about having one of these state-of-the-art plants — lovely or unlovely — in your town, in your neighborhood?"
I wouldn't mind having it in my town because it is helping get rid of trash and our planet is already very toxic so a incinerator isn't going to harm us as much as we are doing already. I think ot would be a good idea especially because it gives off electricity and heat.
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