Start With Waste Reduction By Laura Haight: Article Analysis

The average American generates 4.40 pounds of waste every day (EPA). In a nation with a population of approximately 324 million people, that is a ton trash, literally. Where does all this trash go and what should be done with it? That question has been a part of a large debate about whether the U.S should burn its trash or bury it. There have been several propositions from building waste-to-energy facilities to encouraging recycling and reusing waste. However, there will always be pros and cons to any solution that is presented and people will have their opinions on what they think is the best way to reduce the problem. The real issue that we should be focusing on, as argued by Laura Haight, the senior environmental associate with the New York …show more content…
She mentions New York’s not-so-successful attempt to reduce waste to 50 percent and increase recycling. On the other hand, Haight also notes how San Francisco has been able to achieve a 72 percent recovery rate in its goal of eliminating the waste that is sent to landfills or incinerators by 2020 (Haight). It goes to show that achieving waste related goals is possible, but it will take many hands working together. She goes on to discuss the benefits of recycling over incinerating the trash that is produced daily. According to Haight, “Recycling saves three to five times the amount of energy that incineration generates” (Haight). An important point that she makes in her article is that incinerators require a constant supply of waste to be beneficial, which defeats the purpose of lowering the production of waste. Finally, she goes on to discuss how burning trash can emit dioxins and other harmful particles that can ultimately cause “lung disease, heart disease, cancer and even premature death” (Haight). I agree with Haight in that although it is important to figure out ways to effectively dispose of waste, we should be looking into ways of decreasing the garbage that is being