Visualizing Environmental Science

Ulrich Doering/Alamy

Critical and Creative Thinking Questions 417

What is happening in

this picture?

This clothing market in Tanzania sells used clothing from Europe and
America.

How does this practice affect the volume of solid waste produced?

These clothes, which come from nonprofit charities such as
Goodwill, are sold in local marketplaces. How does this practice
affect African clothing industries?

Africa now exports about $1.6 billion of its textiles and
clothing to the United States each year. However, Africa’s
main competition for the U.S. market is China and other Asian
countries. Explain this global connection.

1. How could source reduction efforts reduce the volume of
   waste that arises from abandoned automobiles?


2. Explain why reducing consumption is the surest way to
   reduce production of wastes.


3. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of disposing of
   municipal solid waste in sanitary landfills and by incineration.


4. List what you think are the best ways to treat each of the
   following types of solid waste and explain the benefits of
   the processes you recommend: paper, plastic, glass, metals,
   food waste, and yard waste.


5. What are dioxins, and how are they produced? What harm
   do they cause?


6. Suppose hazardous chemicals were suspected to be leaking
   from an old dump near your home. Outline the steps you
   would take to (1) have the site evaluated to determine
   whether there is a danger and (2) mobilize the local
   community to get the site cleaned up.


7. What are the goals, strengths, and weaknesses of the
   Superfund Act?


8. What is integrated waste management? Why must a
   sanitary landfill always be included in any integrated waste
   management plan?


9. What is hazardous waste, and how does green chemistry
   help address the problem of hazardous waste?

In an effort to reduce municipal solid waste, many communities have
required customers to pay for garbage collection according to the
amount of garbage they generate, an approach termed “unit pricing,”
or “pay as you throw.” The following chart applies to questions 10
and 11 and illustrates the effects of unit pricing in San Jose, California,
on garbage sent to landfills and on wastes diverted through recycling
and through separation of yard wastes.

Critical and Creative Thinking Questions

10. How did the implementation of unit pricing in San Jose affect
    the amount of garbage sent to landfills?


11. How did the implementation of unit pricing affect the
    quantity of materials recycled or of yard wastes collected?

✓✓THE PLANNER

12. Estimate the total amount of material collected before
    and after unit pricing went into effect. Did the policy
    change consumption, or just encourage citizens to
    sort their waste? What other policies might encourage
    people to reduce consumption? What would be the pros
    and cons of such a policy?

Sustainable Citizen Question

0

50

100

150

200

300

250

Municipal solid waste (1000 tons)

Total

yard waste

collected

Total

recyclables

collected

Before unit pricing

After unit pricing

Total land-

filled

garbage

Courtesy of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)