America generates more waste every year. In 1990 247 million tons of waste was generated. Let me give you an idea of just how much 247 million tons is. The average blue whale weighs 120 tons. If we divide this amount into 247 million tons and place all of these whales in your home town, you'd be chillin' with about 2,058,333 whales!! If you can imagine how much space this would take up, then you can imagine the crisis on our environment. The problem however, gets even worse. The statistics for 2001 generated waste in america, just 11 short years later, is 409 million tons. We have nearly doubled our rate of waste in America. I'm not even going to try to explain how much space that takes up.
Imagine 2,058,333!
Now lets take into aspect not just the space this waste takes up, but the harm it is causing our environment. There is a problem with toxic waste being dumped illegally. This waste can potentially seep into underground water supplies and become very hazardous. If the land around it has plant life then most all of the plants and trees with die off. Did you know that trees generate oxygen? Yes you most likely did. Let me ask you another question. Did you ever have a treehouse when you were a kid? Well I did. And I'd hate to think that my last breath would be taken while desperatly trying to advocate the right to my treehouse.
How can this be stopped? I know its been drilled in your head to recycle. And I know what your thinking. I just dont remember to recycle everytime I'm drinking a bottle of water or reading the newspaper in the morning. How about this: Out of the approximated Six billion people in the world, if everyone recycled once a year, there would be virtually no waste. This is, of course, a very hopeful thing but highly doubtful to happen. Each person needs to take their own stand against litter. So much would be saved if people only knew how important it is to recycle. So the next time someone tries to drill it into your head to recycle, maybe this time you shouldnt tune them out.
Sources: http://www.zerowasteamerica.org