ourwastematters

[ourwastematters]

Mercury Waste Disposal

In 2013, the Minimata Convention was held to recognize that mercury is, “a chemical of global concern because of its long range atmospheric transport, the length of time it stays in the environment, its persistence in the environment from human introduction (mining, power plants), its ability to become concentrated inside our bodies and out and its significant negative effects on human health…

[ourwastematters]

Exciting Ancient Waste

25 miles southeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico you can immerse yourself in the fresh and fragrant smells of piñon, juniper, and ponderosa pine in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and walk amongst the remains of those who came before us, soaking in the wisdom of a culture that once dominated in this region.

The remaining adobe walls of a Spanish church tower over the ruins of the Pecos Pueblo.  Yet,…

[ourwastematters]

See Through The Waste

See Through The Waste

Cyrus Kabiru is a force to be aware of!  His work brought him the honor of being a TED Fellow. The TED Fellows program is a global network of innovators and trailblazers from a spectrum of disciplines.  Every year, more amazing change-makers join the pack.  I clicked on his You Tube video and found myself feeling really good about the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wffeRIVBgQ

Digging…

[ourwastematters]

Is Recycling Wasteful?

  This past week, The New York Times featured an article on costly, complicated and inefficient recycling by John Tierney.   It was upsetting.   Mr. Tierney is a noted writer about social sciences, thriving on controversies in science and medicine.  Written in 1996, his first NYT article on the topic, Recycling Is Garbage, was widely quoted, positively and negatively.

In 1995, third graders in…

[ourwastematters]

Space Waste

Orbital debris around earth

This week, NASA found liquid water on Mars, elevating our hopes that we will find life there.   Since NASA plans to put people on the Red Planet, Ridley Scott worked closely with them to take his film beyond science fiction.  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-will-nasa-make-the-martian-a-reality/

Since 1960, there have been 43 successful and failed space missions to…

[ourwastematters]

Gummy Sidewalk Waste

Ben Wilson at least decorates what others thoughtlessly discard.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7GoTJCzqvs

According to an article in Scientific America, chewing gum is edible.  It is not usually wise to swallow it though due to gum-based gastrointestinal blockages.  

59% of Americans chew more than 280 sticks of gum per year creating a $19billion world wide industry.  Since most people…

[ourwastematters]

Plasma Gasified Waste

700-acre Columbia Ridge Landfill in Arlington, Oregon processes 35,000 tons of household trash weekly by train from Seattle and by truck from Portland.  It is owned by Waste Management.

As of November 2014, not all the trash arriving at Columbia Ridge got buried.  Some of it was destined for a special kind of treatment—one that could redefine how we think about trash.

“Our goal is to extract as…

[ourwastematters]

70 Years Of Clean Air And Water Wasted

70 Years Of Clean Air And Water Wasted

Mr. John D. Rockefeller made a fortune from our love of mobility and the freedom it represents.  As a young professional, he recognized the power of oil to fuel transportation and America went wild!

Mr. Henry Ford, a farmer, designed the first assembly line automobile.  It ran on  alcohol.  His fuel was made anywhere, anytime, by anybody, out of anything that is or was a plant.

So, Mr.…

[ourwastematters]

Disposing Nuclear Waste

There are currently 61 commercially operating nuclear power plants in the United States supplying 20% of our energy needs.  The newest one is over 30 years old.

More than 20 applications for new or expanded nuclear power plants are awaiting approval by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission as the necessity increases to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change.  Nuclear energy emits…

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The Most Environmentally Wasteful Design

The Most Environmentally Wasteful Design

When one considers how magnificent the human design is, one has to wonder why our needs and desires became so wasteful.

Wasteful design begins with the creator not considering the full impact their creations have on the surrounding environment, both in the making of the design and the finished life of the design.

So, should we fault our creator for making us the most wasteful design on our…

[ourwastematters]

College Waste.Org

In a couple of weeks, students will be flooding into our nation’s colleges, filling dorms and apartments with temporary furniture and personal items that get the honorary decorating title;  “Early College Style”.

Fear not!  Last year’s students left or threw out their defining decor and a cool new organization reclaimed it all and got it ready for a new batch of needy students.

Started by…

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Philadelphia Zoo Rethinks Waste

Philadelphia Zoo Rethinks Waste

This summer, the Philadelphia Zoo is featuring  an exhibit of animals and nature sculptures made from used materials.  “Second Nature–Junk Rethunk”  features works of art to show the connection between human behavior and animal endangerment.

This is so well done that I have to devote most of my blog to sharing this work with you.  So!  Let’s go to the Zoo!

White rhino made from 250 silver…

[ourwastematters]

Solar Roadways: Waste or Reality

Solar Roadways: Waste or Reality

You have to click on this video to get the full blast of excitement being generated by Scott and Julie Brusaw from their farm in Idaho.   The excitement generated over $2M at Indiegogo, one of its highest funded projects to date.  With the additional funding from the Federal Department of Transportation they have been able to make…

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Church and Waste

On June 18th, Pope Francis gave an unprecedented encyclical.

In the modern Catholic Church, the Pope can send a letter concerning Catholic doctrine to his bishops, patriarchs, primates, and archbishops to influence the faithful on decisions determining matters of faith or discipline.

For years many faith-based religious communities have opposed the idea that humans are responsible for…

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The Wasted Remains

This past weekend, Martin and I set out to locate a Ship Graveyard under the Outerbridge Crossing, between Staten Island and New Jersey on a waterway called the Arthur Kill.  It’s possible to get to the rivers edge by foot and view the rot from shore, but the real treat is getting up close.  Our put-in-point, the Conference House on the South Shore of Staten Island was a bit of a schlep opening…

[ourwastematters]

Developmental Brains Wasted

Excessive use of computer games among young people in China appears to be taking an alarming turn.  Check out the video documentary “Web Junkie.”   It is a real eye opener.  Yikes! http://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000002657962/chinas-web-junkies.html   This video highlights the effects on teenagers who become hooked on video games, playing for dozens of hours at a time often without…

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Wonderful Waste

Oh!  You are all going to hate me for this one!

Fireworks!  That wonder of wonders that has entertained us as spellbound kids every Fourth of July and every New Year requires a little more attention than oohing and ahhing over the beautiful patterns and colors.  This chart shows us what creates that magic.

The “stars” encase various metal coated pellets floating in an arranged pattern in black…