Waste management
Causes of climate change
Our planets climate has been changing naturally for billions of years. Volcanic eruptions, tectonic
plate shifts and such are the natural factors that cause climate change. However, when humans
started burning fossil fuels and industrial processes, human actions commenced to be the main cause
of climate change. Another factor that affects climate change is poor waste management, not only
does it result in litter everywhere, but it affects various aspects of climate, which include surface air
and ocean temperatures, sea levels and others. This essay will explore how poor waste management
contributes to climate change, how it affects us and how can we ameliorate the consequences of it.
What is the link between climate change and waste management?
When humans started burning fossil fuels and more, greenhouse gases started to build up in our
atmosphere causing a disruption in the natural balance between the energy that is received from the
sun and emitted from earth. Furthermore, increased concentrations of greenhouse gases threaten to
disrupt diversity of habitats and the life that depends on them. Concretely, human health, agriculture,
forests, wildlife and so on. Some of these surges in emissions lead us directly to solid waste.
Greenhouse gas emissions are directly linked to solid waste, with methane coming from many
sources such as: coal mining, waste decomposition in landfills, digestive processes in agriculture and
livestock and nitrous oxide emitted through agricultural, industrial activities, as well as during
combustion of solid waste and fossil fuels. Both gases are powerful contributing factors to global
warming. Therefore, preventing and recycling waste are effective strategies for reducing greenhouse
gases.
The benefits of waste reduction
Responsible waste management can reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate
change. Reducing the amount of waste, looking back at 1990 levels, it could result in 18 million metric
tons of carbon equivalent. In addition, it prevents pollution caused by the reducing new raw materials,
saves us money, energy and most importantly, it helps us sustain a healthy environment for future
generations.
Strategies to mitigate climate change by waste management.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. We’ve all heard this mantra before in our lives. By minimizing
consumption, reusing items, recycling materials, will help us diminish the need for new
resources and energy-intensive processes involved in production.
Composting programs. They focus on organizing organic waste by encouraging the
decomposition of materials like leftover food into nutrient-rich compost, this is an effective way
to mitigate methane emissions, enrich soil and more.
Sustainable packaging. Packaging waste is a serious, global problem. Opting for ecofriendly packaging instead of one-use plastic can help us reduce the generation of waste.
Biodegradable packaging, recycled materials, compostable and beeswax packaging are
examples of eco-friendly packaging that will help us make our future more sustainable.
Increasing storage of carbon in trees. “Carbon sequestration” is a process when trees
absorb carbon dioxide and store it in wood. Preventing waste and recycling paper products
would allow more trees to keep standing and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
All of us are now aware that, climate change is a big threat to us and to our future, but there’s some
time left for us to adapt to it and mitigate its effects. The distribution, manufacture, use of products and
the waste it results lead us to emissions of greenhouse gases that affect our climate. Waste
management is a real way to help us address climate change.
Resources used:
https://www.iberdrola.com/sustainability/climate-change-mitigation-andadaptation#:~:text=Erecting%20buildings%20and%20infrastructure%20that,pr
event%20and%20manage%20natural%20catastrophes.
https://www.amcsgroup.com/blogs/5-ways-waste-management-and-recyclingcompanies-can-mitigate-climate-change-beyond-cop26/#--transport-andvehicles
https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/greenhousegases#:~:text=Greenhouse%20gases%2C%20such%20as%20carbon,retaining
%20heat%20in%20the%20atmosphere.
https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/programs/zero-waste-programs-andevents/reduce
https://www.in.gov/idem/waste/environmental-benefits-and-impacts/
https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Reduce-Reuse-Recycle/Climate-Change/ClimateChange-and-Waste
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