Jones,+Russell+-+Matrix+II+-+WASTE+REMOVAL

=__Issues with Door to Door Waste Removal__ = The image displayed above is from the side of a street in Naples, Italy, where a trash crisis came about when curbside waste removal services shut down due to issues within the government in regards to the issuing of contracts with private waste removal companies. i

Homeowners in the United States of America generally have a door to door waste removal service, curbside, in which garbage trucks pick up waste from peoples’ homes or apartment buildings within their communities. These services are usually organized by local municipalities through competitive public bidding practices. Because of this, waste companies compete with each other to provide waste removal and transport for different communities, making it a very cost effective system. However cost effective the system may be, it is not environmentally effective. ii

The problem with the ease of curbside waste removal lies in the idea of an “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” mentality. When people are done with containers, food, and packaging they have a tendency to throw it away and think that it is no longer a problem because it will be dealt with properly by waste removal and management companies. Therefore people are not concerned about their effects on the environment from their day to day waste. Because of this waste continues to a problem which contributes to pollution and environmentally demanding resource consumption. Household food waste totals to 43 billion dollars worth of food each year.iii The average person generates 4.4 pounds of waste each day. Americans fill 63,000 garbage trucks every day. iv

This problem extends as landfills and pollution continue to grow on the congested earth. Because the average consumer does not have much concern for waste, he or she does not make decisions on product choices which involve excess packaging and unsustainable manufacturing processes. Because the consumer does not influence the market to supply more sustainable goods, the problem will continue if goods continue to be produced inefficiently with excessive packaging.

The matrix of issues stems from curbside waste removal, to the consumption practices of the world’s average consumer, to the worlds’ producers. This problem could be fixed by restructuring waste removal. This could be done through implementation of charges based on volumes of waste, with incremental costs for increased waste volumes. Discounts could also be offered recycling and lower volumes of waste per household. As landfill space is running low in the world, this is an issue that will have to be dealt with eventually, but the sooner waste management is dealt with, the better for our resources and natural environment.

References i Lyon, David. “Trickle Down Trash.” The Boston Globe. May, 27 2008.

ii “Wastes – Non-Hazardous – Municipal Solid Waste.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. November 13, 2008. [] March 30, 2010.

iii “Half of US Food Goes to Waste.” FoodProductionDaily.com. November 25, 2004. [], March 30, 2010

iv “Recycling Facts.” Colorado University Environmental Center. 2008. [], April 1, 2010.

Keating, Brian A., et al. "Eco-efficient Agriculture: Concepts, Challenges, and Opportunities." //Crop Science// 50.2 (2010): S:109-S:119. //Academic Search Premier//. EBSCO. Web. 7 Apr. 2010. .