Did you know that the waste industry in the United States is valued at over $75 billion each year? This figure reflects the vast amount of garbage that each and every one of us accumulates on a daily basis. Statistically, every individual in the U.S. produces around 4.5 pounds of waste each day. That waste is dealt with by the over 20,000 companies across the country that operate within the waste management industry. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these waste management companies “deal” with our waste by simply taking it to the nearest landfill. Landfills across the country are not only quickly filling up, but also pose several serious environmental threats. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “landfill gas (LFG) is a natural byproduct of the decomposition of organic material in landfills. LFG is composed of roughly 50 percent methane (the primary component of natural gas), 50 percent carbon dioxide (CO2) and a small amount of non-methane organic compounds.” The methane gas produced by landfills is particularly worrisome as it has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere. The methane being released in enormous quantities from our landfills is thus driving the pace for warming in the short term.
Furthermore, landfills also contribute to the pollution and contamination of our water sources. As water percolates through the waste in a landfill, it can pick up a variety of potentially toxic materials such as heavy metals, minerals, organic chemicals, bacteria, viruses, explosives, flammables, among others toxic substances. While San Mateo and the wider Bay area is recognized as a national leader in reducing the amount of waste that is sent to landfills, we are still a long way from achieving “Zero Waste.” All of us can continue to contribute to a Zero Waste future by finding ways to reduce our ecological footprint. Recent studies have shown that humanity today uses the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to provide the resources we use and absorb our waste. This “ecological overshoot” means it now takes the Earth one year and eight months to regenerate what we use in a year. The Ecological Footprint measures the rate at which we consume resources and generate waste compared to how fast nature can absorb our waste and regenerate the resources we need for our survival. Changing our consumption habits and patterns is fundamental for reducing the burden placed on the ecosystems that provide us with the resources we use. When it comes to absorbing our waste, however, things get a bit trickier. How can we responsibly reduce our “waste footprint” in a way that allows the natural world to absorb and regenerate our waste? Below, we offer three suggestions for how every resident, homeowner, and business owner in San Mateo can reduce their waste footprint.
Suggestion #1: Separate Your Trash
Organic waste, mostly your leftover food scraps and your yard trimming make up approximately 30 percent of the entire waste stream. The methane gas released in landfills mostly results from the decomposition process of these organic materials in a non-natural environment. One simple way to reduce your waste footprint, then, is to simply separate your organic and inorganic trash. If you have the space, create a small compost pit in your yard where your organic waste will quickly break down into high quality organic fertilizer for your landscape. If you don’t have the space, the city of San Mateo does offer organic trash pickup for both food waste and yard trimmings. Simply making the effort to place the correct type of waste in the right colored bin will go a long way to reducing your trash footprint.
Suggestion #2: Reduce the Amount of Packaging You Use
The EPA estimated that 14.5 million tons of plastic containers and packaging were generated in 2018. This amounted to around 5 percent of all municipal solid waste. To cut back on the amount of plastic trash you generate, make an effort to bring your own bags when visiting the grocery store or your local farmer´s market. Use a reusable cup, bottle, or thermos for on-the-go beverages, and avoid all types of single-use food and drink containers.
For larger jobs, we offer on-site pricing, which will allow us to give you an accurate and exact price estimate for the job. You can also call us to live chat with our highly trained customer service representatives. For smaller junk removal services, you can take a photo of the items you need removed and text us . We will text you back an estimate. Lastly, for a pricing estimate online, simply click the “Pricing” tab in the navigation above, scroll to the pricing estimator, enter your zip code, and choose estimate “By List Item” or “By Truckload.” If you’re ready to reclaim your space and make a positive impact on the environment, you can schedule your next junk removal appointment with Junk King South San Francisco by calling or booking online.
