Recycling’s Importance
Written by Cathy Hong & Justin Cho
In Korea, an average of 45,912 tons of domestic waste is produced yearly. This means that a household of two throws away 176 kg daily, totalling the weight of 35 cars in one year. Not to mention, the increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the air are killing more than 500k infants all over the globe. So what can we do as individuals to help? The short answer is: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Every year, our planet constantly suffers from an increase in CO2 and CH4 emissions, resulting in a rise in sea level. These ecological impacts are primarily affected by atmospheric pollution caused by improper disposal of solid waste. The increase in sea level models the dangerous situation that we are in, as it increases by about 3.4mm yearly. We are much more prone to flooding and heavy winds with constantly rising sea levels. There are also possibilities of many islands disappearing into the ocean, including the Maldives, and destroying the habitat of many species around the globe.
Eutrophication is one example of an environmental problem that we are facing today. Eutrophic ecosystems are created by nutrified runoffs into the ocean, making algae bloom and killing much fish. Besides sea level, there are more environmental problems that are getting aggravated over time. For example, the main resources we use daily such as oil, coal, and other resources, are quickly depleting over time. For example, oil reserves can only pump oil until 2052; coal will run out by 2090 when left unattended.
There are many ways in which we as an individual can prevent these environmental disasters from happening. One mitigation strategy is to reuse and recycle correctly. With more than 380 million tons of plastic produced per year, there is no doubt that a similar amount of plastic gets thrown away each year. But where is its final destination? Some of it gets sent to a landfill where it is prone to create leachate, rainwater carrying heavy metals that can infiltrate into groundwater, polluting the water we use daily. And some of it gets thrown into the ocean, creating a massive pile of waste in the middle of the pacific ocean and destroying the natural habitats of many animals. To preserve these natural habitats, we can use methods such as:
Transporting foods in reusable containers.
Changing habits and practising energy conservation.
Using different recycling bins and composting food scraps instead of sending them to landfills.
Some technological innovations can also help, such as using LED light bulbs instead of incandescent light bulbs, and using hydrogen-fueled cars, which have higher energy efficiency, than fossil-fueled cars.
So why should we care? Not only are these ecological impacts harmful to many species and their habitats, but they are also equally harmful to us. They can, as a result, shorten the life expectancy of humans on this planet. It has been scientifically proven that the increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere have been, over the years, parallel to the amount of lung, skin and astrological diseases and even deaths among children and newborns. So if you want to help conserve our planet, remember to reduce, reuse and recycle.
