Waste Disposal and Recycling Where the Trash Goes

Take a look inside your garbage can.  How much garbage does your family throw away each day? Each week? Where does all of that trash go? Its tempting to think that the trash we throw away actually goes away, but we know better. Heres a look at what actually happens to all of that trash after it leaves your can. Solid Waste Fast Facts and Definitions First, the facts. Did you know that every hour, Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles? Every day, each person living in the U.S. generates an average of 2 kilograms (about 4.4 pounds) of trash.   Municipal solid waste is defined as the trash produced by homes, businesses, schools, and other organizations within the community. It differs from other waste generated such as construction debris, agricultural waste, or industrial waste. We utilize three methods for dealing with all of this waste - incineration, landfills, and recycling. Incineration  is a waste treatment process that involves the burning of solid waste. Specifically, incinerators burn the organic material within the waste stream.A Landfill  is a hole in the ground designed for the burying of solid waste. Landfills are the oldest and most common method of waste treatment.Recycling  is the process of reclaiming raw materials and reusing them to create new goods. Incineration Incineration has a few advantages from an environmental perspective. Incinerators dont take up much space. Nor do they pollute groundwater. Some facilities even use the heat generated by burning waste to produce electricity. Incineration also has a number of disadvantages. They release a number of pollutants into the air, and roughly 10 percent of what is burned is left behind and must be handled in some way. Incinerators can also be expensive to build and operate. Sanitary Landfills Before the invention of the landfill, most people living in communities in Europe simply tossed their trash into the streets or outside the city gates. But somewhere around the 1800s, people began to realize that the vermin attracted by all of that trash were spreading diseases. Local communities began to dig landfills that were simply open holes in the ground where residents could dispose of their garbage. But while it was good to have the waste out of the streets, it didnt take long for town officials to realize that these  unsightly  dumps still attracted vermin. They also  leached chemicals from the waste materials, forming  pollutants  called leachate that ran off into  streams and lakes or seeped into the local groundwater supply. In 1976, the U.S. banned the use of these open dumps and set up guidelines for the creation and use of sanitary landfills. These types of landfills are designed to hold municipal solid waste as well as construction debris and agricultural waste while preventing it from polluting nearby land and water. The key features of a sanitary landfill include: Liners:  Layers of clay and plastic at the bottom and on the sides of the landfill that prevent leachate from leaking into the soil.Leachate treatment: A holding tank where leachates are collected and treated with chemicals so that they do not pollute water supplies.Monitoring wells:  Wells in close proximity to the landfill are tested regularly to ensure that pollutants are not leaching into the water.Compacted layers:  Waste is compacted in layers to prevent it from settling unevenly. Layers are lined with plastic or clean soil.Vent pipes:  These pipes allow the gases produced as waste decomposes - namely methane and carbon dioxide - to vent into the atmosphere and prevent fires and explosions. When a landfill is full, its covered with a clay cap to keep rainwater from entering. Some are reused as parks or recreation areas, but government regulations prohibit the reuse of this land for housing or agricultural purposes. Recycling Another way that solid waste is treated is by reclaiming the raw materials within the waste stream and reusing them to make new products. Recycling reduces the amount of waste that must be burned or buried. It also takes some pressure off of the environment by reducing the need for new resources, such as paper and metals. The overall process of creating a new process from a reclaimed, recycled material also uses less energy than the creation of a product using new materials. Fortunately, there are a lot of materials in the waste stream - such as oil, tires, plastic, paper, glass, batteries, and electronics - that can be recycled. Most recycled products fall within four key groups: metal, plastic, paper, and glass. Metal:  The metal in most aluminum and steel cans is 100 percent recyclable, meaning that it can be completely reused over and over again to make new cans. Yet every year, Americans throw away more than $1billion in aluminum cans. Plastic:  Plastic is made from the solid materials, or resins, left over after oil (a fossil fuel) has been refined to make gasoline. These resins are then heated and stretched or molded to make everything from bags to bottles to jugs. These plastics are easily collected from the waste stream and converted into new products. Paper:  Most paper products can only be recycled a few times as recycled paper is not as strong or sturdy as virgin materials. But  for every metric ton of paper that is recycled, 17 trees are saved from logging operations.   Glass:  Glass is one of the easiest materials to recycle and reuse because it can be melted down over and over again. It is also less expensive to make glass from recycled glass than it is to make it from new materials because the recycled glass can be melted at a lower temperature. If you arent already recycling materials before they hit your trash can, now is a good time to start. As you can see, every item that gets hauled away in your trash causes an impact on the planet.

Speech On Sleep Deprivation And College Students - 1305 Words

Dilan Behrle Topic: Sleep Deprivation Organization: Topically Specific Purpose: Sleep and college students usually don’t tend to get along very well. Sleep and college life often bump heads due to stress, coursework and social activities. This speech will give the students useful information about dangers of not getting enough sleep and also hints on how to get a better nights sleep. INTRODUCTION A. Attention Getter: Did you know 40% of Americans or (100 million people) are moderately to severely sleep-deprived? Students in college are among the most sleep deprived out of them all. According to the (National Sleep Foundation 2011) 60% of college students are not rested during the day and 30% fall asleep in class at least once a week. The National Sleep Foundation also implies that adults 18 and older are supposed to sleep on average 7-9 hours each night. B. Relevance: Sleep and college life often seem to bump heads. With pulling All-nighters, stress and socializing it makes it difficult when a college student has the freedom to sleep whenever they want but the work that goes along with college makes it difficult to have the best of both worlds. C. Credibility Statement: All of this info written is well researched, from reputable experts on the matter like National Sleep Foundation, The Better Sleep Council, Journal of Sleep and the Research American of Sleep Medicine. D. Central Idea: Many college students have struggles with sleep and sleep deprivation. AndShow MoreRelatedSleep Deprivation Persuasive Speech1577 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Persuasive Speech for Students’ Chronic Sleep Deprivation Introduction: A. Attention Getting Opening: Over the past ten to twenty years, academic demands placed upon college students have increased significantly, this has lead to an increase in workload and amount of time needed to study for a specific course. Today, college students represent the most sleep-deprived division of the population in the U.S. (Sleep and Memory). According to Gayla Martindale, 63% percent of the students who attendRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Children974 Words   |  4 PagesII. Beginning of Speech Introduction 1. My opening/attention getting material is as follows: Sleep deprivation was a factor in some of the biggest disasters for example the 1979 nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the massive Exxon oil spill, and the 1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl. 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As the numberRead MoreGetting The Right Amount Of Sleep Is Very Important Because1490 Words   |  6 Pagesamount of sleep is very important; because of sleep loss, many human and environmental health disasters have occurred. Looking back at the past one hundred years, the average amount of sleep that americans obtain, has decreased by twenty percent. There are certain amounts of sleep every age group needs to get through each night. Children six to thirteen years old need 9-11 hours; ages fourteen to seventeen need 8-10 hours; and eighteen to sixty- four year olds need to obtain 7-9 hours of sleep every nightRead MoreSleep Deprivation Among College Students1146 Words   |  5 PagesTopic: Sleep deprivation among college students. Specific Purpose: To persuade my peers to get a sufficient amount of sleep. Central Idea: Sleep deprivation among college students can lead to poor performance and health problems, so finding ways to sleep more can help improve your sleeping habits. INTRODUCTION Attention-getter: Think of this scenario. It is Thursday night. You have an English paper due the next day at 9:00 in the morning and you have barely even thought about what your topic shouldRead MoreThe Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Academic Performance3327 Words   |  14 Pagesmain objective of this study was to determine the psychological effects of sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation is a lack of sleep that can cause a negative effect on cognitive function and can lead to deterioration in physical health. Research and literature reviews reveal sleep deprivation can be caused by shift work, travel, stress, and sleep disorders; such as sleep apnea. Results have found sleep deprivation can cause lack of attention, inability to concentrate, auditory dysfunctionRead MoreSleep Deprivation And Sleep Deficiency1774 Words   |  8 PagesKevin Touch Ms. Acosta-Mata English 4 AP 6 Oct. 2015 Sleep Deprivation: A Bane to Men, Women and Children alike It was 12:30 am in the morning and Israel Joubert and his family was driving home after a family reunion. Joubert had hoped to get to his workplace on time at 8 am in the town of Fort Worth. However in the midst of his driving, Joubert fell asleep at the wheel resulting in a crash of the family’s Chevy Suburban into the rear of a parked 18-wheeler. Although one of his sons and he hadRead MoreStress Student959 Words   |  4 PagesOutline for informative speech Purpose:   To inform the audience about student stress.   Thesis:   Today I will discuss about sources and effects of student stress and efficient ways to manage this emotional and physical strain. Organizational Pattern:   I. Introduction    A. Attention Getter   According to the Student Living Report 2002, an ongoing survey of student experiences carried out by MORI for the UNITE Group, more than half of students (53%) said they had become more

Listen to Music free essay sample

How many of you like listening to music? Music is one of the most common things around the world. Music is one of the few activities that involve using the whole brain. It is fundamental to all cultures in fact it is the universal language of the world, because no matter which part of the world you go to or which culture you can find some form of music. Music can have some surprising benefits. Forecast: Today I will tell you how music can benefit you by calming you, improving your mood, enhancing your learning. In a magazine article by Mr. G Simmons titled â€Å"The best therapy, he says Music provides a wonderful backdrop for your life so that you can find increased enjoyment from what you’re doing and also reduce stress from your day. Music can promote relaxation of tense muscles, enabling you to easily release some of the tension you carry from a stressful day. We will write a custom essay sample on Listen to Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I’m sure at some point we have all used music to unwind before. I know for me after a hard day I go to my room, turn on some soothing music and just get lost in the music and relax. 1. Relaxing classical music is safe, cheap and easy way to beat insomnia. Many people who suffer from insomnia find that Bach music helps them. Relaxing music reduces sympathetic nervous system activity, decreases anxiety, blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate and may have positive effects on sleep via muscle relaxation and distraction from thoughts. RecapNow that we see how music calms and relaxes you†¦.. Transitions †¦, let’s look at how music improves your mood and decreases depression. II. Point Music improves mood and decreases depression. A. Many people find that music lifts their spirits. Musics ability to heal the soul is the stuff of legend in every culture. Many people find that music lifts their spirits. Modern research tends to confirm musics psychotherapeutic benefits. Bright, cheerful music ( Mozart, Vivaldi, bluegrass, Salsa, reggae) is the most obvious prescription for the blues. At McGill University. The researchers followed the brain patterns of test subjects with MRI imaging, and identified dopamine streaming into the region of their forebrains at peak emotional arousal during music listening B. A new study suggests it is because listening to music releases dopamine, the same brain chemical associated with food, drugs, and sex. Recap: Improving your mood and decreasing depression is wonderful benefit of music. Transition: Similarly, another amazing benefit of music is it enhances athletic performance. III. Point Music improves athletic performance. Music improves a person’s athletic performance. 1. According to Kendra Atleework in her article on ehow, â€Å"Music can motivate you during a workout and set a steady pace for a jog. † Choosing music that motivates you will make it easier to start moving, walking, dancing, or any other type of exercise that you enjoy. Music can make exercise feel more like recreation and less like work. Furthermore, music enhances athletic performance! Anyone who has ever gone on a long run with their iPod knows that music can make the time pass more quickly. Music is a fatigue fighter. Listening to upbeat music can be a great way to find some extra energy. Music can effectively eliminate exercise-induced fatigue and fatigue symptoms caused by dull work. 3. Music helps you to run longer and block out distractions. 4. According to my friend Tyler nelson the elliptical is so much more interesting when you` Recap Music can surely improves your athletic performance. Transition: In conclusion.. Conclusion: Of course, music can be distracting if its too loud or too jarring, or if it competes for our attention with what were trying to do. But for the most part, exposure to many kinds of music has beneficial effects We see how listening to music can be really beneficial to your life. It can be a stress reliever and helps you to sleep at night. Music can cause the body to release dopamine and this can causes the body to feel pleasure. It can also aid in your athletic performance. So when you’ve had a long day stressful day at work, having one of those bad days, or just want an extra push while you’re in the gym or in jogging class.