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Publish at October 04 2022 Updated October 04 2022

Waste reduction, a major challenge for our environment

Everyone can remove their can, it's just a matter of thinking about it and paying attention.

Waste

The press, scientists and political powers are talking about global warming and its effect on humanity and the planet. On the other hand, when it comes to the waste emitted by our civilizations, we find less publications. Let's see what it is !

The figures of waste produced

Waste can have various origins. waste can have various origins. We often think of household waste, but there is also waste from business activities, waste from companies, waste from administrations and various suppliers.

The global figure

According to Europe's official website, in 2018 (2020 being skewed with the COVID), it was 2,338,530,000 tons of waste that European citizens European citizens produced.

At the level of French-speaking countries :

  • The France emitted 343 million tons for 67 million inhabitants, i.e. more than 5.1 tons per inhabitant. Attention the figure does not include not only household waste but also the activities of Belgium 68 million tons of waste. Reduced to its 11.43 million inhabitants, this is nearly 6 tons.


Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ten00108/default/line?lang=fr

Household waste

According to the site of the observatory of territories, we observe that the the Mediterranean and the Atlantic and the French Channel are the biggest producers of manche are the biggest producers of domestic waste. The Finistère and the Alpes Maritime are at the top of this inglorious ranking with more than 770 kg per inhabitant. The Rhone with 447 kg being the best pupil.

Source: https://www.observatoire-des-territoires.gouv.fr/quantite-de-dechets-menagers-et-assimiles-collectes-par-habitant

Plastic packaging so convenient but so catastrophic

Plastic plastic packaging is a waste disaster. If manufacturers manufacturers use them so massively is for their convenience. They have many virtues in their eyes:

  • They are waterproof
  • They allow to preserve certain foods
  • They are hygienic
  • They are not expensive
  • They can be manufactured in the most adapted forms for transport.
  • Etc.

Is recycling the solution ?

The best waste is that which does not exist. Recycling is a second-best option. It is also and above all an industrial sector that can profits by recovering waste but also by consuming a lot of energy. A lot of energy.

For example, glass is 100% recyclable. We are therefore good citizens by going to deposit our used glasses in the dedicated bubbles. If we think about it, we are going to deposit that could still be used, so that they can be broken and then heated for broken and then heated to sometimes make new containers that are identical or almost identical or almost identical to those " recycled ". If a part of the financial efforts financial efforts made by the states would allow the standardization of containers and to make a deposit, it could reduce the energy bill of this "  the energy bill of this "recycling" and a small part of the emissions that emissions generating the greenhouse effect.

It should also be noted. that recycling plastic is not simple. Plastics must be sorted, some composed of different molecules (layers of different plastics) are plastics) are not recyclable at all and therefore must be burned or buried. be burned or buried.

Everyone can reduce their household waste

Various streams have been created by people who are sensitive to the problem of the amount of of the amount of waste we generate. Of course, it is a matter of to act according to one's possibilities and progressively by setting reasonable The term "minimalism" is used in different contexts. According to the dictionary, the meaning of the word is as follows:

    Minimalism is the conscious limitation to a minimum, to the bare essentials.

Minimalism minimalism is to get rid of what is not important to focus on the to focus on what is essential. This may involve unnecessary objects or unnecessary or activities that do not serve an important purpose. If you banish from your life what is not important to you and free up and free up space, time, money and attention for what is important to you. for what is important to you. Only what is pleasant and satisfying. Minimalism maximizes what is meaningful and value.

The minimalism has nothing to do with renunciation, deprivation or asceticism.

ZD or zero waste

Some people some people try to simply produce no or almost no waste. waste. Their production over the course of a year is limited to what fits in a jar or a bucket. Getting to this point can only be done by winning small victories every day or every week thanks to a waste that victories each day or week with a waste product that we have avoided producing.

Composting or backyard composting

The easiest to implement, for those who are not in an apartment, is a apartment, is a composting to make use of organic waste.

For those living in apartments, the vermi or lombri-compost solution exists.

The 5Rs Rule

As stated above, recycling is only a stopgap. The 5R rule  is there to remind us of that. Here's what it means in order :

  1. Refuse
  2. Reduce
  3. Reuse
  4. Recycle
  5. Compound the Rest

As As consumers, we have the choice to buy waste or to refuse it. refuse it. Bulk has its advantages but also its disadvantages, so Opt for bulk or the least packaged products. Avoid buying pre-packaged sandwiches at train stations or highway stations, don't accept plastic spoons with your coffee, etc. It's easy, you just have to be there. easy, just pay attention.

The consequences of litter

One article wouldn't be enough to describe all the consequences on of the waste we produce. However, you can visit the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys. Here's everything this hospital has harvested from the digestive tracts of these poor animals.

So waste can cause suffering to some living things.

Each to their own

It becomes important to reduce the waste we produce. Everyone can make a contribution. everyone can make a contribution, it's just a matter of thinking about it and paying attention. What reasonable waste reduction goal could you set for yourself?


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