According to The Economist, the writer mentioned that the wastes created by human are increasing in a rapid speed and are becoming more hazardous. Now, Americans are the highest trash discard but Indians and Chinese people will be producing double and triple as much as they are now by 2030 respectively. There are many researches show that some rotting wastes severely cause the humans' health and vastly contributed to greenhouse gases and global warming eventually. However, the actions against the waste jettison seems to be feckless both in developed and developing nations.
The author proposed that governments that have the power to strongly implement the solutions should charge companies and households for garbage collection based on the quantity they produce. And other solution is that government should force the manufacturers to recall and dispose of their products when consumers have finished with them.
I agree with the writer about the role of the government in charging fees based on the volume of trash they produce. However, this solution seems to be complicated on implementation. There are many aspects needed to be considered such as how different of surcharges should be varied on types of rubbish, the scale of manufactures, how difficult to destroy or recycle on each trash or which measurement scale being used to weigh the effect of trash between economic scale or environmental scale, etc.
I think this waste problem we cannot only wait for the actions from the government, but we, as individuals, must do something effectively in order to make our world to be better in some ways.
I know that we often hear about this kind of problem and a possible solution for household is to reduce using the plastic bags and then use the fablic bag instead. Are you really use the fabric bags every time you go shopping at the market? Or do you forget to bring your own fabric bag most of the time you go shopping and then you still need the plastic bags offered from the sellers?
And does anyone really care about the waste in public? Or do they just care about the rubbish within their premises?
If you have any interesting ideas, please post your comment. I am very happy to hear from you!
References
A load of rubbish. (2009, February 26th). The Economist. Retrieved on March 11th, 2009 http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13184704&CFID=45129257&CFTOKEN=34577951
Wednesday 11 March 2009
7 comments:
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So scary! You know?, I have used a cotton bag for containing goods when I go to market. Many people there look at me; it seem like I'm strange, worry too much.
ReplyDeleteI agree, not only factories should classify trash but also everybody should do for help environment.
I whould have to tell you about the classification in Japan. There are some examples. At first, When we throw out an empty box of tabaco, we have to classify the box into the plastic wrapping paper, and the silver paper which is on the top of the box, and the box. Also, we have classification of glasses, plastic bottles, cans, plastic caps which are on the top of the bottles, plastic trays, and so on. Second, when we throw them out, the bag must be a clear bag, which has two reasons; that is to make inside clear to see and to make people embarrassed if they make mistake. Third, when we throw out an electric appliance, we have to pay money, which make people think of it again that if they really don't need it. Of course, it is not easy to get use to doing it, and I'm sure they are still struggling. It'll take long time to make them recognize.
ReplyDeleteHere is my opinion. I think what we need first is the rules because if nothing, who cares about it. In Japan, it, all of sudden, started and we just had to follow the rule, but it worked well. As Weaw told us, we cannot wait for it, we cannot ignore it, but at least, I think we need something to follow.
Thanks Mark. I also had the same experience at the market. Even though I had my own fablic bag, the sellers handed in the purchased products wrapped up with plastics bag to me. I guess they get used to do that automatically unless the customers tell them.
ReplyDeleteHowever, using fablic bag is one of the good ways to do something as individual.
I may ask you one more question, is there anything you can to do next for reducing waste?
Thanks Shinobu. That is a sucessful example that Thai government should follow.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your posting, Waew.
ReplyDeleteActually, like Japanese as Shinobu wrote, in Korea it is very strict to throw up something. I think the system of classification is very similar to Japan. I didn't know that. We have to classify everything and if we don't, we have to pay panalty. When I lived in apartment with my reletives, my uncle always told me that classify well when I throw up something. I remeber that every Tuesdays is a day of collecting biogradable trash. Every people who live in the apartment have to keep their biogradble trash and trow them up on Tuesdays. If we forget to do that, we have to wait next Tuesdays. I often forgot to do that, so I was scolded by my uncle.
Actually, in Thailand, it isn't strict and very convenient to throw up the wastes. I don't have much stress like in Korean. But for considering evironment, I think, it is good way that government take some actions.
Bangkok used to have junk classified policy. In that time, we saw 3 type of trash, dry, humid and dangerous trash. but I don't know why this policy was used for around 3 years. I think, it might be conflict of interest, because recycle junk can be sold in Thailand. I have heard that this business can gain huge money!
ReplyDeleteI collect plastic bottles to sell as well.
In bangkok, I don't need to care about throwing out rubbish, but I've been following the rule since I came here, even though, the types are lesser. I classify 3 types, bur whrn I was in Korea, I had to classify 6 or 7 types. Actually, classificaition of junk is a bothering job. However, we must do it for ourselves and for our nxt generation.
ReplyDelete