Miscellaneous notes and stuff….Unit 3

Solid Waste management: It is always best to reduce, reuse, or recycle items rather than put them into the landfill for disposal The primary advantage of recycling garbage rather than putting it into the landfill or incinerating (burning) it is that it saves the raw materials that are necessary for the manufacture of new items.

Waste Management In landfills, items break down at different rates. Some synthetic (manmade) items do not break down at all Organic items, like newspapers and food scraps tend to break down very quickly (a few weeks to a few months) Composting is a way to dispose of much of the food scraps and yard waste without having to take up landfill space.

Sustainable forestry practices: Using logging methods that minimize soil erosion Increase paper recycling to decrease the demand for wood Growing a diversity of timber instead of one type of tree (monoculture)

Conserving water Use low flow toilets and shower heads Run the clothes washer, and dishwasher only when they have full loads. Water the lawn in morning and evening to minimize evaporation Turn off the water while brushing your teeth When purchasing new appliances look for those that use the smallest amount of water xeroscaping

Overfishing Currently, global fisheries are being overfished. To help with the problem the AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL (not connected with the industry) can purchase sustainably caught fish and shellfish.