A Little Background on Waste

Did you know that the average Canadian produces about 10 kilograms (6 pounds) of garbage each day?  That means that Canadians produce about 31 million tonnes of garbage each year! All that garbage must go somewhere, so Canada has more than 10,000 landfills!  People are producing waste faster than it decomposes.  We are using the earth’s natural resources faster than they can be replaced—and many cannot be replaced.  This means waste in our world is a problem.
Not all waste is a problem, however. Some waste is natural waste. When living things die, nature recycles them. These natural wastes are biodegradable. That means that they will decompose, or break down. Decomposers such as insects, worms, mould, and bacteria help to break down the natural waste. When natural waste decomposes, the nutrients from it go back into the earth and contribute to healthy soil. Nature is the perfect recycler!
Some of the waste that people leave is natural waste. For example, when you eat a banana, you are left with the peel (skin). This peel is natural waste because it is biodegradable.
People also produce other waste. We are able to use natural resources to make new products, but sometime, we want to dispose of them. Some of these products cannot decompose easily, and some are non-biodegradable. Materials such as plastic, metal, and glass can take a very long time to decompose—if ever. Some waste that people make may also be toxic. Toxic waste is harmful to living things and the environment.
Using the three Rs can help with the waste problem in our world. When people reduce, reuse, and recycle, less waste goes into landfills. Reduce means that we use less stuff, such as less water by turning off the tap when you are brushing your teeth. Reuse means something is used over again. For example, refilling a water bottle many times rather than buying a new water bottle each day saves plastic that is made from oil. Recycling occurs when a new product can be made from an old one. Paper products can be recycled many times into new paper products. Newspaper becomes insulation, for example. The three Rs help to conserve our natural resources and leave less waste!
Many people around the world are working to make a difference regarding waste. How can you reduce waste?