Garbage pollution

 GARBAGE POLLUTION

Garbage pollution is a HUGE global problem. We produce so many products and

throw out so much every day that garbage and waste disposal is turning into a major

ecological nightmare.

In India segregation of certain types of garbage has been routine. Items like

newspapers, used bottles, magazines, old exercise books and oil cans etc have been

kept aside and sold to local collectors or kabadiwalas for centuries. Not onlv was

garbage sold but we even used to exchange old utensils for clothes. So we were very

environmentally friendly at one point. This is not so today. We waste a lot and throw

away huge amounts of material that sits in a landfill and pollutes the soil and

everything else.

The time to take this very seriously has arrived. With global warming and decay of

natural habitats, there is absolutely no time to waste.

Garbage pollution consists of many things. Certain items are not biodegradable

(they do not decompose easily ie Plastics) but can be reused or recycled. In fact, it is

believed that a large portion of the garbage we create can be recycled. Some can be

converted to compost, a large portion can be recycled while a small portion could be

considered non recyclable and put into a land fill.

There are primarily 4 categories of waste:

Wet and dry waste, which should be disposed of separately.

Toxic wastes such as medicines, batteries, dried paint, old bulbs, and dried

shoe polish which needs special care when we dispose of them.

Wet or organic waste, which consists of leftover foodstuff, vegetable peels,

etc., should be put in a compost pit and the compost could be used as

manure in the garden. 

Dry waste consisting of cans, aluminum foils, plastics, metal, glass, and

paper could be recycled (Recycled Game).

The world over, governments, local bodies and citizens are taking separating garbage

very seriously and there are multiple programs that recycle and reuse. This is the

only way forward. In India, we are not as aggressive about this and continue to just

dump here, there and everywhere.

You can make a difference and dispose waste responsibly!

Form a green committee of the children in your neighbourhood. Send a

notice to all the residences asking them to segregate garbage into dry and

wet.

Or bio-degradable and non-bio degradable.

Take a trip in your neighbourhood and see where all does your waste end

up. Sides of the street, Open garbage dumps. You will be surprised.

Encourage your parents to buy two separate bins for dry and wet garbage.

You can colour code it green for dry and blue for wet. Like this it will be

easier to segregate the garbage to be handed over to your garbage

collector.

Ask your community to purchase different colour garbage bins like the

ones featured above and then encourage your neighbours to segregate

garbage.

Start a compost pile. Here's how:

Set a commercial or homemade composter on the ground in an easily

accessible place. For a simple and inexpensive open bin, make a circle

about 3 or 4 feet in diameter out of 3-to-4-foot-high welded wire or plastic garden fencing.

Add ingredients. Place a 4 inch layer of stemmy plants, sticks, or other

coarse material in the bottom of the bin. As they become available, add

kitchen wastes, dead plants, grass clippings and chopped leaves to the bin.

Add water as often as needed to keep the material moist but not soggy

(like a wrung-out sponge).

Turning the pile is helpful but optional. If you choose to turn, lift off the

composter or bin and set it next to the pile. Then use a pitchfork to move

the pile back into the composter.

The compost is ready to use when you can no longer recognize the original

ingredients. Until you use it in your garden, keep your finished compost

covered to prevent rain from leaching out nutrients.

Where does garbage pollution occurs?

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also known as the Pacific trash vortex, spans waters from the West Coast of North

America to Japan. The patch is actually comprised of the Western Garbage Patch, located near Japan, and the Eastern Garbage Patch, located between the U.S. states of Hawaii and California.