Consequences Of Solid Waste

Besides understanding the causes of solid waste, it is also important to discuss the consequences of this growing issue. According to Norman Myers (Environmental Issues and Solutions), although most solid wastes are disposed at their proper locations (dumps, landfills, etc.), there is still a lot of waste that is not properly disposed due to being casually thrown away and scattered among the land as litter (8). Disposing waste inappropriately comes with many consequences. Waste that is inappropriately disposed ends up in places it does not belong to such as lakes, rivers, and oceans (8). One of the results of waste ending up in the ocean is the Great Pacific Garbage patch, which is one of the many locations in which “gigantic swirling masses of plastic and other solid wastes are now found” (8). Thus, waste that is not properly disposed results in ocean, land, soil, and air pollution (8). Myers pointed out that these resources are what we “depend on for maintaining our health, well-being, lifestyle, and economies” (8). Waste disrupts these resources, and in the long run, will tremendously affect the human race permanently. Another consequence of solid waste is its effect on the planet overall. As waste accumulates and pollutes the environment, “they harm or crowd plant and animal communities on land, …show more content…
Waste reduction involves three R’s resource use (reduce, reuse, and recycle) (8). Myers suggest that reduction “involves consuming less” (8). This involves the process of determining wants versus needs for each individual (8). If an individual can do without it, it is probably not a necessity or a basic human need. It is also important to evaluate spending habits to determine if one is buying things they do not need. Although it is not always easy, being aware of what is consumed is a good start to reducing solid waste