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YOUTH ARE AWESOME

Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth. YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them. Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.

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HomeUncategorizedThe throwaway epidemic

The throwaway epidemic

In the past few decades, humans have taken to a more sedentary lifestyle. This has not only lead to the over consumption of disposable items around the household, but has also had an impact on the amount of waste we produce. We have substituted products such as cloth diapers, plates, utensils, and more for their disposable counter-parts.

Our society has become irrevocably dependent on limited resources that our environment might not be able to supply us with 30 years down the road, and mass-production of items has made it significantly easier to avoid the elephant in the room. With many landfills in Canada reaching capacity, citizens will have to turn to other sources for proper waste disposal. Can our impudent actions result in a major cataclysm for our decedents? In 2008 alone, local governments in Canada spent about $2.6 billion on waste management, a significant increase from just two years earlier.

From http://www.news1130.com/files/2012/10/8e1d3e574b4b8fa2db51cd763f99.jpg
From http://www.news1130.com/files/2012/10/8e1d3e574b4b8fa2db51cd763f99.jpg

Large companies and conglomerates have taken advantage of our ‘throwaway’ society and have encouraged and propagated consumerism. As early as the 1950s, consumerism was embedded into the economy of most of North America. When citizens spent more on consumer goods, sales and income tax revenues rose and governments quickly supported this event.

Plastic is quick and easy- a synonym for convenience. But through all of this, we avoided the elephant in the room at all costs; what would we do without our natural resources? A Cree proverb describes this dilemma well: “Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last river has been poisoned, only after the last fish has been caught, only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.” Our reliance on a limited resource is forcing us to consider alternatives to our current way of existence, and we can no longer allow ourselves to engage in profligately happenings. In our current economic system that seems to aim towards perpetual growth, we risk being trapped within a destructive linear and stagnant cycle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLBE5QAYXp8

In recent years, we have begun to slowly address the ecological issues we are facing. Although our efforts remain desultory, we have begun to notice the impact on our sensitive environment. Through the installation of proper municipal recycling systems, the Canada has lowered the number of waste production from a deplorable 25,907,467 tons in 2008, to 24,883,546 tons in 2010.

Through furthering our knowledge of ecological impacts of many of our products, we can aim to instill ideals that aspire to create a more balanced earth, while becoming more educated shoppers. We can kindle a prosperous and virtuous society where we value our environment, and consequently, each other.

 

 

 

 

Purnoor Tak
Purnoor Takhttps://www.youthareawesome.com/author/purnoor
Hi, Purnoor here! I'm a high school student at Westmount Charter School with a passion for writing and music. I am a tea enthusiast, as well as an avid reader! My blogs are to share my musings about a variety of topics, so be sure to check them out!
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