How many problems lurk behind our daily rituals and second nature behaviors? Edward Humes’ Garbology certainly has opened my eyes to a lot of issues that I was imperceptive to. Hume’s unveils the truth about how we as Americans live as serial wasters. We purchase heaps of items a year that we don’t keep long enough. Almost everything that we bring into our homes is over packaged, and it seems that with every generation a bizarre obsession with all things plastic flourishes. Overflowing landfills don’t even make their way to an after thought. What has surprised me the most is that we as a society have this insidious addiction to wasting, and we are oblivious about it. Our ignorance is taking a toll on our precious environment It is clear to
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“Americans make more trash then anyone else on the planet, throwing away about 7.1 pounds per person per day, 365 days a year” (Humes 5). The thought of where the 7.1pounds created by each of us daily never crosses our minds. Landfills all over the U.S. are towering and the reoccurring question always is, where will the trash go next? “Puente [largest landfill in the US] if it were an automobile burial ground it could hold every car produced in America for the past fifteen years”(Humes 20). Humes’ really makes his readers turn a magnifying glass on their own wasteful practices. Following the reading of just the first few chapters, I was visualizing my trash impact. I thought about how I’m obsessed with plastic straws, or how Zip Loc bags are a constant on my grocery lists. I cringe remembering all the times I was just too lazy to recycle that one piece of paper. The beauty of this book is that after you think back on all your waste shortcomings, you almost instantaneously think of ways to change. I could use one reusable straw cup; an investment in some Tupperware would be a good idea, and I could force myself to recycle every time until it is second nature. There are so many splendors in doing minor acts for the good of our home …show more content…
Everything from the kind of bathing wash we purchase to our ignorant mindsets plays a direct role in our wasteful habits. “ I believe that solution to our environmental problems starts at home” (Bea Johnson 280) I have concluded that the reason for our consecutive wasting is our fixation with convenience. It’s easier to buy goods already packaged instead of bringing our own containers and jars to markets; however we miss that it can be less expensive. “More than 10% of the cost of things lies in the packaging” (Humes 275). Tossing an empty soda can into the trash that’s closer feels more efficient than taking the extra time to recycle; nevertheless we don’t think about energy. “Recycling aluminum cans, for […] saves […] 96% of the energy needed to produce aluminum from bauxite”(Humes 260). In order to reverse our slothful minds, it is essential to think bigger picture. It is most certainly true that changing our wastefulness at first may be a challenge. At times it may seem like we are going out of our way. I like to compare it to eating organically, some may say organic groceries are far too expensive; though this may be true, it is worth it because it’s a life investment. Eating organic meals today will provide a stronger body tomorrow. The same can be said for being more waste conscious. This is an environmental investment. The small waste reduction of today will make our world brighter
“Americans make more trash then anyone else on the planet, throwing away about 7.1 pounds per person per day, 365 days a year” (Humes 5). The thought of where the 7.1pounds created by each of us daily never crosses our minds. Landfills all over the U.S. are towering and the reoccurring question always is, where will the trash go next? “Puente [largest landfill in the US] if it were an automobile burial ground it could hold every car produced in America for the past fifteen years”(Humes 20). Humes’ really makes his readers turn a magnifying glass on their own wasteful practices. Following the reading of just the first few chapters, I was visualizing my trash impact. I thought about how I’m obsessed with plastic straws, or how Zip Loc bags are a constant on my grocery lists. I cringe remembering all the times I was just too lazy to recycle that one piece of paper. The beauty of this book is that after you think back on all your waste shortcomings, you almost instantaneously think of ways to change. I could use one reusable straw cup; an investment in some Tupperware would be a good idea, and I could force myself to recycle every time until it is second nature. There are so many splendors in doing minor acts for the good of our home …show more content…
Everything from the kind of bathing wash we purchase to our ignorant mindsets plays a direct role in our wasteful habits. “ I believe that solution to our environmental problems starts at home” (Bea Johnson 280) I have concluded that the reason for our consecutive wasting is our fixation with convenience. It’s easier to buy goods already packaged instead of bringing our own containers and jars to markets; however we miss that it can be less expensive. “More than 10% of the cost of things lies in the packaging” (Humes 275). Tossing an empty soda can into the trash that’s closer feels more efficient than taking the extra time to recycle; nevertheless we don’t think about energy. “Recycling aluminum cans, for […] saves […] 96% of the energy needed to produce aluminum from bauxite”(Humes 260). In order to reverse our slothful minds, it is essential to think bigger picture. It is most certainly true that changing our wastefulness at first may be a challenge. At times it may seem like we are going out of our way. I like to compare it to eating organically, some may say organic groceries are far too expensive; though this may be true, it is worth it because it’s a life investment. Eating organic meals today will provide a stronger body tomorrow. The same can be said for being more waste conscious. This is an environmental investment. The small waste reduction of today will make our world brighter