The Earth Is Not a Trash Can

Posted by Mrs Green
January 30, 2009 65 views

As I’ve said on previous posts; we all have our reasons for attempting to reduce our rubbish. For us, it was a combination of things with wildlife, conservation and the environment playing a very important role in our decision to attempt a zero waste lifestyle.

I had chance this week to have a quick chat with Rosalind Cookson. She is Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust’s ‘Don’t waste wildlife‘ project manager.

I wanted to ask her about litter, the landfill and wildlife, as well as catch up with her particular passion which is composting.

MZW We’re at the end of zero waste week in Gloucestershire; what impact can landfill waste have on our wildlife?

RC Landfill takes up space that could otherwise be a wildlife habitat. It also gives off harmful emissions including methane and produces toxic slime called leachate which harms the environment for all of us.

MZW And what about litter – how can that effect wildlife?

RC Litter can be harmful to wildlife and people.  Broken bottles can injure and also small mammals can get stuck inside bottles, cans and other containers.
Animals and birds can get stuck in plastic bags. Wildlife can also eat litter by mistake which can cause death.

Mark Prigg and Benedict Moore-Bridger
27.01.09

A HOUSING estate in Fulham has one of the most improved recycling rates in the country.

The Clem Attlee Estate has adopted a series of green measures on a trial basis including recycling chutes and mini-recycling banks on each floor.

Today, figures reveal that after six months the estate has boosted participation in recycling to 98 per cent.

It is now hoped the scheme could be rolled out across the capital.

John Twitchen of Sauce, the environmental consultancy which ran the project, said: “Collecting recycled rubbish from high-rise blocks is difficult, so we wanted to try a few different ideas here, and see what works.

“We’ve been incredibly pleased with the results, and we are now very hopeful that this could form a blueprint for every high-rise block in London.”

By Peter Ambrose

Story Published: Jan 26, 2009 at 9:44 AM EST

Story Updated: Jan 26, 2009 at 9:44 AM EST

MOUNT COMFORT, Ind. (AP) – Three Indiana state highway workers cleaning up litter alongside Interstate 70 just east of Indianapolis found about $100,000 in an abandoned tire.

State police suspect the cash – which photos show to be in denominations of $5 to $100 – may be drug money. Indiana State Police spokesman Mike Burns says a drug-sniffing dog found the scent of drugs on the cash.

Police say the workers found the tire Friday in a ditch near the Mount Comfort Road exit on I-70. When they picked it up, the tire fell apart, revealing the cash, and the workers called police.

Published: 26 Jan 09 09:00 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090126-…

A Mönchengladbach man was stuck with his feet in the air for hours after diving into a paper recycling container to retrieve his keys, police in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia reported on Monday.

“He got himself stuck upside down in the opening and suddenly couldn’t move back and forth,” a police spokesperson said.

An acquaintance of the man’s called the fire department when he saw the helpless 39-year-old’s feet poking out of the container on Sunday evening, police reported. Fire department workers used metal cutters to widen the container opening, which then caused the man to fall all the way inside.

Authorities were forced to cut a large hole in the container and build a makeshift lifting ramp to free the man about an hour later, police said.

“He had his keys again, but sustained a few cuts and bruises to get them,” the spokesperson said.

Posted: Sunday, 25 January 2009 2:55PM

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)  — There’s an upside to the economy getting trashed…landfills around the state are receiving considerably less garbage.

At one of the nation’s largest depositories in Puente Hills, about 17 miles east of Los Angeles, operators have seen a 30 percent drop in trash being delivered from neighboring municipalities. Disposal rates at the Miramar Landfill in San Diego are also way down.

Robert Reed, the public relations manager for Sunset Scavenger in San Francisco, said the tonnage of daily garbage and recycling produced in the city is down about five percent, and that much of that change has taken place in the last six months.

Reed said in addition to reduced personal consumption, construction waste has plummeted with the slowing housing market.

Also contributing to the reduction in trash at landfills – a state law calling for 50 percent of trash to be diverted from dumps.

By Michelle Velderrain
Guest writer
Sunday, January 25, 2009

Clowns — the sight brings joy to some and fear to others. One thing that comes to mind when I think of clowns is balloons. These seemingly innocent objects that can bring joy to all are actually a major contributor to pollution, along with other plastics.

When you release a balloon into the air, where does it go? The balloon might enter habitats that are downwind or downstream, affecting fish, birds, turtles or other creatures. These creatures can become entangled or ingest the litter, resulting in strangulation or starvation.