4. We create a billion tonnes of rubbish each
year. We produce, and throw away, far more
rubbish than ever before. However, many
things that we think of as rubbish are not
waste at all. They are made from valuable
materials taken from the environment (raw
material) that could be used again.
5. Appearances, though , can be deceptive. We
are creating far too much rubbish in the first
place. Each year, the average person in the
world throws away four times their own body
weight in rubbish. More importantly, we do
not know what the long term effects of
burying so much waste will be. You and your
generation might escape the worst
consequences but your children's’ generation
may not be so lucky
6. In Jamaica, most of the rubbish that people
put in their dustbins is emptied into landfill
sites. These are simply enormous hole dug in
the ground which are then filled with rubbish.
When a landfill site is full, it is covered with
earth to stop pollution seeping out into the
surrounding ground. The area is then
landscaped to make it look more attractive.
7.
8. The Kingston Metropolitan area which
includes Portmore is regarded as the largest
urban area in the Caribbean. This is creating
problems in the management of solid
waste, in addition to pollution of the air, land
and water. Unless something is
done, respiratory diseases and other illnesses
will increase. Citizens need to take
responsibility for their own communities.
Rubbish is often dropped casually on the
streets of Jamaican towns or thrown into
drains or gutters and this is one of the main
causes of flooding in times of heavy rainfall.
10. The habits of many people, young and
old, make life unpleasant and dangerous for
others. Some people defecate and urinate on
the walls and in corners of public places
because they are too lazy to use a toilet. The
stench is sometimes overpowering and it is a
very unpleasant form of pollution, it exposes
many people to serious risks even though it is
one that is very easily preventable
11. Recycling – the processing of used or
waste material into new products to
prevent waste, to reduce the consumption
of fresh raw materials and to reduce air
and water pollution and to lower energy
usage.
12. Recycling offers real hope for the future. New
paper can be made from old. Old glass can be
cleaned and broken up, melted down and
molded into new shapes. Plastic cannot be
broken down but it can be recycled. Recycling is
a means by which a country can play its own part
in valuing and saving our planet. There are
several methods for collecting
recyclables, including curbside collection, dropoff centers, and deposit or refund programs.
After collection, recyclables are sent to a
recovery facility to be sorted, cleaned, and
processed into materials that can be used in
manufacturing. Recyclables are bought and sold
just like raw materials would be, and prices go up
and down depending on supply and demand in
the world.
15. Forest Destruction
Trees are extremely essential for human
kind’s future. About 25% of the oxygen that
we need comes from trees. Over half of the
world’s plant and animal species are found in
the tropical rainforests of South America and
elsewhere. Many of them provides us with
medicines and they also absorb an incredible
amount of airborne pollution.
16. Deforestation – the cutting down and
destruction of all the trees in a particular
area.
Deforestation is a major concern in
Jamaica, where forest clearing is among the
highest in the world. Already, most of the
islands watershed areas have been
destroyed, which has led to blockages of river
channels by debris during times of flood and
the poor flow of surface water in the dry
season.
17. Reforestation
Reforestation is the reestablishment or
expansion of a forest which was previously
destroyed or degraded. Sometimes the
reforestation occurs through natural
regeneration, when seeds from existing
stands of trees are deposited on deforested
lands, distributed by wind, insects, birds, or
other seed dispersers. Other times lands are
reforested artificially, by planting trees on
degraded or deforested lands, with species
that are native to that area.
18. The primary goal of reforestation is usually to
regenerate forests, with the aim of restoring
the environmental and economic benefits
they provide, but reforestation activities can
also provide a wealth of social benefits as
well. From growing seedlings to planting and
cultivating them, reforestation projects not
only enhance the local environment of the
people who live there, but also serve as
vehicles to both educate and empower.
