On October 12, 1999, our population grew to six billion people.
exorbitant number of people, come their garbage. Each person producing four pounds a .
day, or three fourths of a ton each year (Miller,1999). The United States is responsible .
for creating 33% of the world's municipal solid waste and has a population of 276 million .
people. We live in a high waste society, producing two to three times more garbage than .
other countries (Miller,1999, p.369). Yearly quantities of the United States garbage .
consists of:.
Enough tires to circle the globe almost three times.
18 billion disposable diapers if linked end to end would reach to the .
moon and back seven times.
About two billion disposable razors.
10 million computer.
8 million television sets.
14 million catalogs.
38 million pieces of junk mail (Miller,1999, p.369).
These figures will continue to climb as the population continues to climb. More people .
need to be aware that 67% (by weight) of our nation's garbage goes to landfills (Landfills, .
2000). Landfills are "garbage graveyards in which solid wastes are spread out in thin .
layers, compacted, and covered daily with topsoil" (Miller,1999, p.383). Inside the .
compacted layers, there is very little room for water or air that aid in the breakdown of .
wastes. "Newspapers dug up from some landfills are still readable after 30 or 40 years: .
1.
hot dogs, carrots and chickens that have been dug up after 10 years have not .
decomposed" (Miller,1999,p.383). "Landfills also deprive present and future generations .
of valuable reusable and recyclable resources and encourage waste production instead of .
pollution prevention and waste reduction" (Miller,1999, p.384). "Common sense and .
available data combined tells of a single conclusion: all landfills will eventually leak, .
contaminating ground water" (Kinman,1999). Landfills cause traffic, noise and dust: most .
