…What we can expect if we don’t reduce waste…

With the ongoing garbage strike in Toronto, one has to wonder what would happen if we saw a repeat of what we saw a couple of years back, here in Vancouver. In fact, Canada Day celebrations were cancelled across many part of the Greater Toronto Area due to the high amounts of garbage on the streets. It’s pretty sad that our country’s day to shine was cancelled on account of some differences between people….but that’s beyond the point. The city didn’t want people exposed to the filth that was accumulating on the streets. Many cans were overflowing with garbage after just one day of the strike. The point here isn’t to admonish Toronto for what is happening, the point is that if we do not reduce our waste, we increase our reliance on infrastructure….it usually works, but what happens when things like strikes affect service? The more waste we generate, the less options we give ourselves when it comes to saving our planet. In case you haven’t seen it already,the video can be seen here.

If we realize the results of what could possibly happen if we let ourselves rely too much on others (we’ve already seen it once in our own home town), we might just be able to look ourselves in the mirror and say that enough is enough with regards to creating so much waste. So what are the solutions? The Trashbusters will soon find out!

Made in China. Recycled in China.

You may be surprised to learn that a lot of the recyclables that we accumulate are being shipped [and sold] overseas and then being resold back here in North America as other products.

According to an article on Tree Hugger, Canada ships a lot of its recyclable waste overseas to China where it is dealt with, repurposed into goods that are shipped back to Canada and sold again. Here, our blue boxes are sorted by low paid, factory workers, then recycled into anything possible, and sold back to Vancouver, for us to once again fill our blue boxes with. All in all, Canada did make between $600,000 and $800,000 over the last two years, but also suffered the wrath of a large carbon footprint caused by the trucks, freightliners, and trains used to transport the materials.

“Toronto’s Solid Waste Department acknowledges that in the long term shipping waste around the world is not sustainable and hopes that eventually local paper mills and recycling facilities will be able to keep the materials local.”

So some speculate that our recyclables are being broken down and reused, others report that the recyclables are shipped overseas only to be put in a landfill (see earlier post “Where does all our recycling go?”). Trashbusters continue to investigate.

For more information click here.

The Story of Stuff

 The Story of Stuff is a presentation conducted byAnnie Leonard about the sources and destinations of our “stuff.” Leonard has spent the last 10 years researching the flow of materials and the problems that have risen throughout the cycle.

Leonard explains that our resources essentially go through five steps: Extraction, Production, Distribution, Consumption, and Disposal; she calls this order the materials economy. Leonard then goes on to explain each step, elaborating on the people involved, the statistics publically known, and the hidden facts that many do not know. 

Throughout the video Leonard also mentions other social problems that have arisen because of the choices made by the government and large corporations. Our system is in crisis, and it is because that is how we abused it. When a country runs out of resources, it takes them from other countries; in turn, jobs are lost and those who once had possession of those resources are forced to work in factories with low wages and unsafe working conditions. Corporations feed this crisis by distributing products that either break down in six months, or become “out of fashion.” The result of this? Waste, waste and more waste. And what do we do with the waste? Either bury it in the ground, burn it (releasing toxins into the air), or transfer it somewhere else.

At the end of the video Leonard presents many different approaches to deal with our stuff, including the commonly known concept of recycling. While Leonard fully encourages recycling, she states that it is simply not enough because of the number of items that aren’t designed to be recycled. She emphasizes that the best way to deal with the problem is from the start, beginning with “cleaner production, better product design, composting, recycling and using less stuff overall.”

Leonard was able to wrap up the presentation in 20 minutes- pretty amazing considering the complexity of the issue. She uncovers many shocking statistics and information that is often overlooked, and manages to make it interesting and simple. If you want to learn more, don’t wait! Check out the website at www.thestoryofstuff.com.