AllNew York

Understanding Waste Management

Today, there are so many ways to work on reducing our waste and landfill necessities and understanding waste management. It doesn’t have to be that we simply buy whatever we want and then throw it away, and many of the waste management companies in the States like have come to appreciate and highlight the path to waste management.

The government sets targets each year for waste management. A new study published in 2007 set a target for a 50% reduction in household waste by 2020. How is this reduction to be achieved? There are a number of ways.

Refuse: We can think about waste management in terms of prevention. If you don’t buy things that you don’t completely need, then you won’t need to throw away the packaging from those products. You can avoid disposable products as much as possible as well.

We can also look at reducing what we use. We can buy things that are made to last like reusable plastic wrap or Tupperware instead of tinfoil and throw away wraps. You can buy in bulk as well and this will reduce the amount of packaging that is needed. Certainly, you can take your own shopping bag when you go to the grocery store and even to the mall to shop for clothes.

Focus on reusing items. Jars that you buy for one thing can be reused for another; ice cream tubes can turn into storage containers. A plastic bag that was used at the grocery store could be reused for the mall or as a bin liner.

Careful disposal is also important. If an item can’t be recycled or reused, it can still be taken care of in the right way. Dispose of batteries in designated recycling centers; bring in your glass or cans to get a rebate in certain states. You can look at the websites for Bridgeton landfill and other locations to see how they are working to ensure careful disposal.

If you always have these ideas in mind, you will start to make a difference in your own small space with waste management. And every difference that each person makes really does have an impact on society at large with time.

James

James Allenby is the editor of Gowanus Lounge, bringing to his position a vast background on New York, and especially Brooklyn history, culture and lifestyle. Born and bred in the heart of "the County of Kings" James Allenby knows what it means to be a Brooklynite, and imparts this meaning at all times to his readers. Contact James at info(at)gowanuslounge.com.