Hobbies And Interests
Trash Talking
Trash refers to anything people use in the course of their daily lives and then toss away. The list is long and includes furniture, electronics, appliances, food, packaging, and yard and garden waste. Excluded are waste materials from industry and construction. The United States produced 250 million tons of trash in 2011, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Of that, 54 percent landed in landfills, with carbon-based, organic materials making up 56 percent of the trash.
Life in Landfills
Microscopic organisms thrive in landfills, because our trash gives them a lot to munch on. As the microorganisms break down trash, landfill gas -- or LFG -- results. It can take as long as three years for the gas to develop, however, and the highest amounts are emitted as long as seven years after the trash hits the landfill. Methane -- another greenhouse gas -- and carbon dioxide are the main components of LFG, and both are odorless. The rotten egg smell that landfills can create comes from hydrogen sulfide creates the rotten egg smell.
Fired Up
Incinerating trash always releases CO2. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are also released, which create acid rain. Depending on what̵7;s in the trash, toxic gases may also be released. Despite these disadvantages, burning trash has advantages. For one thing, the trash doesn̵7;t take up valuable landfill space. For another, burning trash can be converted into electricity.
Trash to Treasure
Composting uses food waste and other trash, such as newspaper and yard waste, to create a nutrient-rich additive for soil called humus. Microorganisms do the work, completing the process in as long as four months. Composting emits minimal CO2, especially compared with the CO2 emitted in landfills. Carbon is instead stored in the compost material, or converted to humus and stored there. Additionally, composting diverts trash from landfills, preventing methane production.