Local Environmental Issue: Separating Garbage

The environmental problem in my city that I am going to discuss is separation of garbage. In Auburn Maine you are not responsible for separating your garbage. You can separate it but you need to go to the town office and get the correct bins. Some people do not know about this program and others do not care. In Texas you are told by the landlord that you must go get recycle bins for news papers, Cardboard, and metal cans and where to get them. Other towns in the surrounding the Auburn area do have these services but it is still not required.

Some of the causes are that people find it such a hassle to clean out there cans, remove the label, and crush them. 8 out of ten people said they do not separate their trash but they have the bins. Their reasoning was it is too much work or took too long. These causes are related to environmental ethics. "Just over 35% of Maine's municipal solid waste was recycled in 2005." (Maine State Planning Office 2006) That is a staggering 65% that is sitting in the dump just taking up space. Maine is such a beautiful state and a major tourist attraction. Instead of being known as vacation land it will be known as trash land.

Another cause of the environmental problem in my city they charge companies for cardboard pickup. The place I work that does not recycle their cardboard anymore because they get charged for pick up. However the truth is that they have to pay for trash pickup as well. So the only difference is that some cardboard ends up going to the dump except for the boxes we reuse. The Company is saving a few dollars, but throwing away a renewable resource. These causes are related directly to human values. That is a prime example of western world view they are more worried about wealth then the environment. Maine takes pride in being environmentally friendly by reducing emissions and creating innovative ways to produce energy. It is my belief that this is not how a business in Maine should be run.

Reference

Maine State Planning Office (2006) Waste Management Hierarchy, Retrieved June 25, 2009

http://www.maine.gov/spo/recycle/hierarchy/index.htm