War on Waste

Hi Girls,

Today I wanted to talk to you all about a large problem we are facing in our world. Waste. Waste is one of the most pressing issues in the world, affecting all Australians. The ABC Documentary War on Waste is currently airing their second season and is a real eye opener. Although depressing, it is also really inspirational. War on Waste has so far covered waste issues such as; the cosmetic standards super markets place on food, food wastage, single use plastics, the waste in our waterways and the affect that has on our environment and the recycling issues that are currently at large. Waste mightn't be something you think about every day, but after just 10 minutes of watching the show you will be inspired to take action. As we are the younger generation, it is vital we understand the pressing issues in our world and understand it isn't an issue for someone else to deal with because everything we do dramatically effects the world. Below is a list of some ways you can reduce your impact on the world and help Australia win the war on waste!

Plastics Recycling

Plastics make up a large part of the weekly rubbish collected by families. Almost all food are wrapped in plastics (another issue in itself) and these plastics take a very long time to break down. Plastics is arguably the largest issue in waste management as because of its long life and throw out manor, plastic end up in water ways. It is no secret plastic is dramatically negatively effecting the natural world, with it killing numerous amounts of animals. If you want to help reduce the plastics ending up in landfill, you can recycle your soft plastics in most Coles and Woolworths and at other recycling depots. These plastics are then transformed into other items such as park benches. For me, whenever I have plastic waste in my lunch box I take it back home with me to then be recycled with the other plastics. You can also change your habits by having a 'nude' lunchbox by taking in a Tupperware container instead of pre-packaged food.

Cardboard Recycling

I believe recycling is an issue Australia is pretty good at. Recycling at home is integrated into everyday life, yet these practices are not moved into school. Brigidine has started recycling through the paper recycling stations in classrooms. This is a really great initiative and if you can follow it, than you can dramatically reduce your waste you produce. Especially at the end of the school term when lockers are cleaned out, lots of paper and books are not recycled and chucked straight into the bin. By taking old books and paper home and then recycling, you will help our world.

Plastic Bottles

Plastic bottles are almost always single use. This is a real issue as when buying a bottle of water, you are just buying the bottle! On top of this, bottled water has been proven to be exactly the same as tap waters. A fact I found really interesting (not from War on Waste) is that the Voss water, probably the most well-known brand of expensive bottled water, is just tap water. Although it is sometimes hard to always remember to bring your water bottle, instead of buying water at tuckshop, keep your water bottle or a plastic water bottle in your locker.

Thanks girls for reading. A great example of the positive effect small changes can make is from War on Waste at Kiama High School where the school changed their waste sent to landfill dramatically.  Although it seems like a lot of work to change our habits and it may seem a bit extreme, it is so important to save our world. I know for me, waste is the issue I am most passionate about and I always stress the importance of recycling, I hope some of you can be inspired to take action and help your family reduce your impact on the world. If you want to watch the eye-opening War on Waste, it is on ABC iView.