First of all, by reducing the amount we buy, throw out and create, we can cut down on all that we put into our landfills. Places around the world have figured out amazing ways to cut down on waste, ways that would not be difficult to implement here in Canada.
Germany:
-banned local garbage dumps
-planned to decommission remaining landfills by 2022
-Utilize the waste that is created+ the energy produced by it
-”Manufacturers and retailers have to pay for a green dot on the packaging of their products. The more packaging, the higher the fee creating an incentive for businesses to reduce packaging and facilitate recycling.”
Belgium:
–75 percent of their waste is reused, recycled or composted
-The green event and assessment guide is a digital tool that is used in Belgium in the fight against waste generation…. calculate the ecological impact of an event and is even able to prevent waste during them
-Ecolizer: web-based calculator that helps promote sustainable design and clean low waste production
If we were to implement some of these techniques to cut down on waste, the world may see a huge impact, or a change. If other first world countries can figure out systems such as these, we can too.
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brchan
I like the idea of making the companies pay for the packaging they create that often becomes waste. Making companies responsible for their products over their lifetime seems like an intriguing idea. What if we don’t throw thing away but return it to the companies to make into new items?
It does seem like other developed countries are ahead of us in waste reduction and management. There’s something about N. American culture that is quite wasteful, I think it has something to do with the size of our countries.