We are surrounded by many things in our lives. When we no longer need them, they become trash. The trash that can be burnt, called combustible waste, is incinerated at waste disposal plants, generating carbon dioxide emissions. What qualifies as combustible waste differs depending on the municipality and the capabilities of the incinerator in the waste disposal plant. In addition to food scraps, some municipalities treat plastic as combustible waste.

However, in some municipalities, where sorting has become more advanced, waste items are collected as resources after being sorted into smaller categories. For example, copy paper, direct mail, envelopes, and wrapping paper are all collected as resources for making recycled paper. Something that can also be done for cardboard, newspapers, books, and magazines when they are collected separately. If plastic bottles, trays, and plastics are separated for collection, they can also be used as the raw material for making recycled products. Trash can become a resource if it is sorted before waste collection.

Additionally, kitchen waste can be turned into garden fertilizer by composting and fallen leaves and weeds can easily be fermented into humus for the soil. Some municipalities also offer subsidies for composting. You can find detailed information on how to separate trash on your local government's public relations page.

In these ways, we can turn just about any trash into a usable resource to make something else. This is the concept of “zero waste”. We need to reconsider what is trash and how we should dispose of it. Personally, as much as possible, I try not to create trash. When the things you buy are no longer needed, they should be sorted and collected as recyclable resources. In this way, you can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by minimizing the amount of trash that ultimately has to be burned.

Another waste-reducing lifestyle choice is to buy products that are made from natural organic materials, because this type of materials will easily return to nature. Refusing to use plastic and using non-waste generating products will help in achieving a no-waste lifestyle.

Holding flea markets or garage sales is another way to reduce waste. Clothes you no longer wear, furniture and dishes you no longer need are trash if you throw them away, but if someone wants them, they may be able to use them again.

episode 4
Don’t Generate Trash. Don’t Litter