However, there is still a great deal of potential to reduce the amount we throw away and increase our recycling rate. Excess packaging increases the price of the products we use and costs us even more through local taxes to dispose of it all afterwards. Presently most of waste goes to landfill, but there is a serious shortage of appropriate disposal sites. Burying waste can lead to contamination of land and water courses as well as releasing methane gas - a major factor in global warming. While incineration is considered a possible alternative, it too has potential environmental and health problems.
Recycling can provide better overall energy savings than incineration.
The consumer society encourages us to consume more products, but our wasteful lifestyles affect people and the environment all round the world. I Shoppers should use their own bags instead of new plastic shopping bags every time you visit the shops. I Car owners should reduce the number of times they wash the car. I Gardeners should buy a water butt for use in the garden. I Residents should use the shower instead of the bath.