As humanity develops new technology, the magnitude and severity of waste increases. When computers were developed, it widely was believed that the need for paper would be eliminated. On the contrary this was widely proven false and we are now utilizing more paper than ever. Canada is not an exception as the typical Canadian generates an average of three pounds of solid waste each day1. This alone shows what a careless species we have become- using and disposing materials without even considering the damage we are causing. With half a trillion tones of waste around the world, only 25% may be reused for a second or third time and less than 5% can be renewed limitlessly1. These facts are true only in developed countries. Since these traditional waste reduction methods have been proven inefficient, we must endorse new innovative technology to arrive at a solution.
Traditional methods of waste disposal have proven to be ineffective and have caused harmful effects on the environment. The most popular and inexpensive way to get rid of garbage is burial, but burying your problems does not necessarily mean getting rid of them. Landfill sites pose as severe ecological threats as these mass garbage dump yards overflow with trash and frequently contaminate our air, soil and water with hazardous wastes. About 400 million tons of hazardous wastes are generated each year1. A large-scale release of these materials can cause thousands of deaths and may poison the environment for many years. For example many industrial companies around the world cannot afford to enforce the strict pollution regulations set by many developed countries. This usually forces these types of companies to move to developing countries where pollution regulations are very lenient. These developing countries knowingly accept environmentally hazardous companies usually because they are in desperate need of employment. The harmful effects of these companies were clearly illustrated in the 1960s and 1970s when residents living near Minamata Bay, Japan, developed nervous disorders, tremors, and paralysis in a mysterious epidemic. The root was later found to be a local industry that had released mercury, a highly toxic element, into Minamata Bay. The disaster had claimed the lives of 400 people1. Since 1970 you can bet that a lot more than 400 people have died as a result of waste disposal. If the type of waste disposal were cheaper and effective we wouldn’t have to deal with waste problems, which still plague mankind today.
This strength, in particular, influenced my decision to pursue social work as a career because cases will often be complex and I know that changes do not occur overnight and positive results only occur within time. I mastered the strength of being patient because growing up with an older sibling often requires you to learn patience. One aspect I realized was I don’t get frustrated easily and that is because I can be a patient person. The second strength I possess is being empathetic for example when a friend or family member shares something that may not be going to good in their life I like to pretend I am in their shoes, I like to provide empowerment and also be relatable, often times when one of my friends is upset over a situation I tend to get upset as well. I like to look at events through a sociological lens so I can better understand the situation. The last strength I possess is dedication, I feel this will influence my decision to pursue social work because I put my heart and soul into every aspect of my life, for example, I am quite dedicated to my studies, in High School I worked extremely hard to make it into the top ten of my graduating class and by being dedicated to my school work I ended up being number five. I am an extremely dedicated person because I do not like to fail, and I’ll always give it my all until I can no longer do so, I believe I would be a good social worker because I’d be dedicated to my client trying my hardest to provide the best of the
My five strengths according to the strength finder include; balance, this helps me be aware of treating all people equally regardless of the situation. I am neither in anyone 's favor or against anyone as this to me is selfishness and individualism. This would result in a situation where some people scale heights due to connections while others are lagging behind. I believe that a consistent environment where the rules apply to everyone is the best for individuals to function best (Rath, 2007). Flexibility is my next strength. By knowing that things do not always work out as planned has helped me change the tactics of how I perform my tasks. I do not always expect to have a smooth flow of opportunities or accomplish goals, but
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. As Roth states in Strengths Finder 2.0, we as a present day world tend to focus on and try to overcome our weaknesses rather that building up our strengths. Using our natural talents can help us do the best we can and help us be a better asset. After taking the strengths assessment, I found that my top five strengths themes ended up being: relator, discipline, competition, responsibility, and significance.
Landfills in America have taken many square miles of what used to be fertile land, forests and communities and that trend does not seem to have an end. The waste, we as Americans, dispose of each year is in the tons and that number rises annually. One of the reasons why this occurs is actually quite simple; population. Population in modern day America has soared to well above three hundred million, in 1915 that number was hundred million. Urbanization and industry has given way to deforestation and landfill creation. The need for more landfills has caused many health concerns, issues, and problems to not only those living near and
After completing the Clifton strength finders test, I learned my dominant strengths and it gave me a sense on what areas I am strong in. It allows you to work in the areas that you are good in and not in the ones you might not be as strong in. My top five strengths were learner, connectedness, belief, positivity, and includer. A lot of these I figured I would have because I am an athlete and I love to be positive. That is good because I practice these strengths every day which in turn will make me better at them and will allow me to use them in my career.
Ratios traditionally measure the most important factors such as liquidity, solvency and profitability, as well as other measures of solvency. Different studies have found various ratios to be the most efficient indicators of solvency. Studies of ratio analysis began in the 1930’s, with several studies of the concluding that firms with the potential to file bankruptcy all exhibited different ratios than those companies that were financially sound.
Do you hate seeing litter on the streets, or seeing and smelling heaps of garbage sitting, and rotting away? Humans recycling more will help to reduce this. We throw many things that can be recycled. Recycling glass, plastics, paper, and metals will reduce solid waste dumped into the ecosystem daily. “96 percent of U.S. plastic, and 50 percent of its paper, goes into landfills. Mexico, not exactly a bastion of environmental awareness, recycles more glass than the U.S.” (Alice Horrigan 1). That’s 96 percent of the millions of tons of plastic, which will outlive most of us in a landfill that we could recycle and keep it out of our landfill. Paper is made from trees, if we recycle it, we can decrease our rate of ugly deforestation and the destruction of animal habitats. When paper gets to the landfill, it is guaranteed to get wet. The wetness and decomposition of paper atracts mold spores, which produce an odor and are potentially bad for your health. Also k...
One of my greatest strengths at work that I have recognized would have to be my ability to be a well-organized individual. I tend to write what I have to do down on paper and prioritize what is more important to least important. In doing this, it helps me organize and accomplish my work and meet deadlines that are important. A personal strength that I have at home is patience. I am a mother of a beautiful three year old little girl who is a handful. Patience is my greatest strength as a parent and individual which I possess especially being a single mother. I am a dedicated and hard working mother and I always make sure that my daughter gets the love and attention she needs.
The world would be a better place if everyone would recycle.Recycling is one of the most misunderstood yet extremely important issues in our world today. Recycling is simply returning materials to their raw material components and then using these again to supplement or replace new materials in the manufacture of a new product. It is important for every person to take responsibility for his or her own contribution to the recycling effort. Recycling is known as reusing and restoring our garbage, most people don't understand it can also include donating old clothes to charitable organizations, reusing plastic containers to store food in the refrigerator, and many other activities we already participate in. Although recycling is everywhere in our lives, I will focus on our everyday waste products, why recycle them, how to recycle them, and if it is a worthwhile cause. There are a myriad of curbside recycling services operating nationwide, therefore, people can no longer make excuses for their lack of recycling. It is important that everyone becomes educated about recycling. This would lead to people making informed decisions about buying products which are recyclable and minimize the amount of garbage that cannot be recycled.Recycling 'healing' the Earth in many ways, such as helping to slow global warming, diminishing acid rain, reducing water pollution, conserving landfill space, and lowering pollutants in the air '. For four consecutive weeks, I collected my personal garbage and counted and/or weighed the respective products. I learned that many of the products I use can be recycled, however, I also realized that I need to make a more conscious effort to buy recyclable products. I noted everything in my journal, which gave a description of the garbage I collected and how it is divided into several categories which are: aluminum, other metals, glass, plastics, newspaper, white paper, other paper, and food products. I will discuss each group and how, or if, the products listed in the group can be recycled. Using aluminum can cut down on a lot of pollution. Virgin ore is a substitute for aluminum, but it is not healthy to the environment. By using recycled aluminum instead of virgin ore, we can eliminate 95 percent of air pollution and 97 percent of water pollution. More than 95 percent of all canned beverages are sold in aluminum containers. Aluminum is one o...
America seems to be experiencing a narrowing of disposal options (Griffin 1). Trash is either dumped into landfills, incinerated or burned, or recycled. Seventy percent of all solid waste ends up in landfills (Griffin 2). Each year, “240 million tires, 1.6 billion pens, 2 billion razors and blades and 16 billion disposable diapers” are dumped (Griffin 2). Five hundred disposable cups and 10,000 sheets of copy paper are used annually by the average office worker (“Waste and Recycling Facts” 1). In addition, 500,000 trees are needed every week to make two thirds of newspapers that are never recycled (Cooper 270). A twelve foot high wall going from Los Angeles to New York City could be built with office and writing paper that Americans use every year. Enough iron and steel is dumped by our country to continuously supply the whole nations auto manufacturers. Approximately 2.5 mi...
My first strength is significance, and in reality, I am a productive person. Sometimes I like to put myself surrounded with productive people because they are not afraid of working hard, and I will feel comfortable in this environment. Being productive can help me to manage my time. Also, I want to be an influential person. This is the reason that I choose renewable energy to study. I want to improve our living environment. Being a productive person can help me to achieve this goal. My quest pushes me
An important part of recycling is conservation. Conservation helps keep unneeded waste out of landfills in the United States (Conserve Energy Future 2). As Americans, an average person throws away 4.8 pounds of waste daily. This adds up to over 1750 pounds in a year alone, for one person. In 2006, Americans generated 251 tons of waste (Riedel 11). Of this waste over 50 percent could be recycled into new materials to be used again. In doing this, recycling will tremendously
America and Europe are at the top of the list for most waste generated according to Waste (4). This is very visible because there’s litter on every street in the towns and cities, as well in lakes, beaches, and rivers. The book Waste by Rob Bowden states that the amount of waste produced is increasing at a rate faster than population growth. About 1.5 million computers, in the U.K, are thrown away each year and most end up in landfills. There are 3 types of waste which are Municipal Solid Waste, Industrial Waste, and Hazardous waste. MSW includes waste from public garbage cans and local dumpsters. Industrial Waste includes massive amounts of waste water that is contaminated with chemicals. Hazardous waste is the most dangerous as it presents a danger to human health and the environment. Solutions for waste disposal take time because people need to consider their lifestyle and limit the amount of waste they generate. A good start is to recycle items such as paper, cans, plastic, and clothes. This way they don’t end up in landfills, beaches, or streets. Another solution is to join organizations that go around places to recycle, or organizations that demand the reduction in the amount of products that are being
Policy is needed to regulate which course of action should be taken and how it should be implemented. Because of this, many plans and policies revolving around the management of solid waste have been put in place. Sometimes however, a particular policy can have its shortfalls, potentially resulting in its negative aspects outweighing the positive ones. According to the Conference Board of Canada Report, “Canadians dispose of more municipal solid waste per capita than any other country” (2013). Solid waste management in particular, involves many aspects, ranging from packaging waste, food waste, etc. (White & Franke 1999), hence, the following analysis revolves around household and commercial waste – referred to as Municipal Solid Waste (White & Franke. 1999) – in the Greater Vancouver Regional District. Municipal waste is a major health and environmental concern as it contributes to numerous problems like habitat destruction, surface groundwater pollution, and other forms of air, soil, and water contamination. Waste disposal methods like incineration create toxic substances, and landfills emit methane, which contributes to global warming. According to the Zero Waste Objective Report, “The impact of climate change and the increasing awareness of the role of “waste” and “wasting” in the production of greenhouse gas emissions is a constant environmental pressure… (2009). This leads to an increasing limitation of government to prevent and control the volume and toxicity of products in the waste stream and a growing need to shift responsibility to the product manufacturer.
The United States produces “about 8.25 billion tons of solid wastes each year” (Russell 1). People do not realize the impact they have on our planet and environment. When people throw anything in the trashcan, they are contributing to the destruction of our planet. The number landfills in the United States are decreasing, but the amount and volume of waste being thrown into the new landfills is increasing (Russell 4). Because of this escalating amount of garbage, Methane which contributes to global warming is an outcome of these landfills (Russell 7). As a result, our planet is suffering because of this epidemic. The garbage being put in the landfills could be recycled, but not enough businesses, ...