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The Global Problem of Plastic Waste â and How to Reduce It
Plastic production and consumption is a global problem. From 1950 to 2015, the world produced 8.3 billion tons of plastic. In 2015 alone, the production of plastic was 380 million metric tons. Of all this plastic, over half was designed to be used only once then discarded. Most of this plastic does not get recycled. The rate of plastic recycling from 1950 to 2015 was only 6%, and despite significant gains, the recycling rate in 2015 was only 20%. Further, much of the recycling of plastic waste from the U.S. is diverted to other countries, many of which are unable to manage their own waste or do not want it.…
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Official Statement by Mormon Women for Ethical Government on Environmental Stewardship and Climate Change
October 19, 2018 The recently released report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights the deleterious effects of global climate change. The consequences of maintaining the status quo of carbon emissions and the resulting rate of global temperature change are dire and include major shifts in patterns of weather, fire, and hydrology; large-scale impacts on biodiversity; and disruption to human systems, including agriculture and food supplies, migration, national security, and economies. According to the IPCC, âthere is no documented historical precedentâ for the worldwide changes required to avoid these dramatic consequences. Two days after this report was released, Elder Steven E. Snow, historian and recorder for The Church…
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Recycling: The Whys and the Hows
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that in 2017, 35.2% of waste generated was recovered through recycling. Within individual categories, paper and cardboard were recycled at about a rate of 66%, and yard waste/grass clippings were composted or recovered at a rate of 69%. Materials like plastic and glass came in at only 8% and 27%, respectively. Contrast these statistics with the estimated time it takes each of these materials to biodegrade: Glass takes a whopping 1 million years to decompose! Plastic can take upwards of 500 years to decompose, with some types taking less time. Cardboard can take as little as a few months to biodegrade if soaked, shredded,…
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Food Waste: The Impacts, and Ways to Reduce It
Sustainable management of food is a systematic approach that seeks to reduce wasted food and its associated impacts over the entire life cycle, starting with the use of natural resources, manufacturing, sales, and consumption, and ending with decisions on recovery or final disposal. Sustainable management of food can save money, help those in our communities who do not have enough to eat, and conserve resources for future generations. Building on the familiar concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle,” this approach shifts the view on environmental protection and more fully recognizes the impacts of the food we waste. âMost people don’t realize how much food they throw away every day â from…
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Aging Water Infrastructure and Impacts to Vulnerable Communities
Infrastructure has been in the news a lot over the last couple of years, and not for positive reasons. Across the U.S., roads, bridges, pipelines, and other public infrastructure are in need of replacement and repair. Water infrastructure â our pipes, mains, valves, pumps, treatment facilities, and reservoirs â is also aging. Many of our water systems were built in the 1900s (or earlier!) and are reaching the end of their designed life. Part of the problem is that the initial cost for a lot of water infrastructure was paid for in large part by the federal government in the form of direct investment, low-interest loans, or grants. Today, those…
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Ways to Mitigate Water Scarcity
More than two-thirds of our planet is covered with water, but only a tiny percentage (less than 0.0003%) of that is fresh and available for humans to use. This tiny amount of fresh water is under increasing pressure, not just because of the rising human population and demand, but also because humans have not always been good stewards of water. Water scarcity and water pollution are growing problems across the world. In fact, the UN estimates that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living under âabsolute water scarcityâ even though there is enough fresh water on the planet for everyone if we manage it sustainably. Below are some ways…
