Waste Not, Want Not

Source : http://www.verus-co2.com/blog/?p=599

“Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers,” Wordsworth

We know waste does not simply disappear with the garbage truck. We also know that our heavily packaged, waste-laden convenience goods contribute much to the haul-away. Nonetheless, with the constant flow of trucks and all the pretty packaging it is easy to get caught up in the fantasy. For generations, we have wasted because we could. Dazzled by the marvels of the industrial revolution we have dumped poison freely into our water, drawn hazy lines between industrial by-products and food sources, and become hypnotized with “bigger-is-better.”

We have been meeting with organizations that take this waste and turn it into energy. One group spoke to us about taking old floor coverings and sending it to the cement companies who burn it for their processes. We have also been fortunate to come in contact with industrial level composting. Lastly, we have been looking at glass down cycling. However, this is dealing with the end product. We also should create less waste at the start.

If we want to foster a good quality of life and create good health outcomes, we will have to rethink the cycling of our resources. As the industrial revolution turns to the disease of too much industrial waste, we, who for generations have been freely entitled to take global resources without restraint, are having to change our habits in order to get healthy again.

Some of us grew up with an ethic of conservation, in part to save money, but perhaps more-so in consideration of the environment. In times of shortage, we all seek ways to quickly tighten our belts. Many of us experienced this in some form or another over the past year. Combine that with expanded knowledge of Global Warming and, what has long been a sub-culture of conservation, is now at the center of the mainstream.

New knowledge and methods, as well as solid information to make product choices that truly reflect a conservation ethic, are currently emerging. They are emerging quickly, however, as the drive and innovation is no longer coming just from people’s garages, but rather from some of the most powerful players in industry. Due to these changes in the business world, those who seek to be resource-conservative are able to engage in a whole new level of resource economy.

Whether it originates from industry or from consumer demand, markets can re-define clean and re-define convenience as we now look at previously unseen and unaccounted-for costs. With Global Warming upon us, despite the ups & downs of the economy, it should be cool to be frugal.