Everything We Throw Away - Essay Example

Microwavable meals, toiletries, and other consumer products contributed to nearly all of the ways that were analyzed during the course of the week. Naturally, there were some elements within the trash that should have necessarily been there; however, the broad majority of the trash that was analyzed could have been recycled if appropriate mechanisms were available and the knowledge of students living within the dorm was sufficient to understand how to separate this trash. This sad reality created a situation in which fully 80 or 90% of all Iraqis could have had an alternative purpose and not ultimately ended up in the landfill waiting for hundreds of years to eventually degrade.

Moreover, the examination of refuse that took place during this particular we also indicated the fact that we are truly living in a consumer culture. By means of contrast and comparison, if I were to examine the trash of my grandparents or great-grandparents, the likelihood of the examination would lead me to see a far decreased number of consumer products and/or packages that would be exhibited within the trash. The reason behind this has to do with the fact that the generations preceding my own were more self-sufficient and did not merely place comfort and ease at a priority with respect to the quality of nutrition and/or the way in which they integrated with the consumer lifestyle.

However, part of this premium of ease and efficiency that is represented with respect to my own trash is partially contingent upon the stress and hardship that university life has placed upon me. Due to the fact that I do not have an available two or three hours to prepare a well-balanced nutritional meal, I am oftentimes tempted to merely purchase something that is already prepackaged and ready-made so that I can devote more of my time and resources to managing the tasks at hand. However, even within this particular understanding of my own laziness, it is also understood that I should focus my efforts in the future on seeking to decrease the overall level of packaging waste that I create in any given week.  Through attempting to effect such a change, it is the hope of this particular author that the overall level of waste that I generated, not only in my college years but also throughout my lifetime, will drastically decrease. Although it might be understood that this is but a small contribution, taken on aggregate with similar decisions of fellow stakeholders in society, this can have a profound and long-lasting impact with respect to the renewability and quality of the environment.