Is Canada Becoming a Giant Garbage Dump?

by Sari Boudreau
(New Brunswick, Canada)

Why is it a country that claims to be so advanced in many ways is so far behind when it comes to waste disposal management? Even though Canadians are receiving more and more education about waste disposal, and many cities and townships have “green” programs for waste disposal, including composting, the amount of waste disposal in Canada is increasing at an alarming rate of 6% each year, per capita.






What Can We Do to Help Ourselves Think And Plan More Eco Friendly?

I think that there is a lot more that needs to be done when it comes to educating Canadians about proper waste disposal. Students are learning more in school about waste disposal and composting, and many classrooms even have their own composting programs. But, this is not enough. We need to reach out to everyone in all communities, and there are a number of ways that this can be done, including community programs and activities.

Community Programs – Environment Canada, as well as other organizations, need to be more diligent when it comes to educating the public about waste disposal. More literature needs to be sent out to the public, as well as more public service announcements on radio and television.

There are plenty of community centres and other places where regular sessions could be held, and citizens could learn more about waste disposal, and what they can do to eliminate as much waste from the environment as possible.

Community Activities – Each year, most communities have a clean-up, usually in the spring. Community members should consider having their clean-ups on a more regular basis, at least once per month. And, during the clean-ups, there should be education for the community about the need for less, and eco-friendly waste disposal.

I think we come from such a throw-away generation, and changing these habits is not going to happen overnight. But, with the proper education, and by changing some habits, everyone can contribute to having a cleaner and healthier environment, just by eliminating unnecessary waste disposal. And, this is the goal we are all working toward.

Do you have any ideas?


Sari