Wisdom understands that in a world of ecological interconnectedness there is no such thing as “ away .” We don ’ t throw things away , we simply put them someplace where they defile the land , foul the water , pollute the air , or change the earth ’ s atmosphere .
environmental healing
Waste Not Want Not
By Christopher Wales
In the United States we live in a economic reality based on consumption . As consumers we must deal with a host of waste problems that are by-products of various manufacturing and distribution systems that often seem to be beyond our control . But we do have the power to effect real change in our recycling efforts to heal our planet and take better care of our environment .
First , we need to change our mind set about waste . We have been led to believe that the low or no-cost solution to waste management has been landfills — dig a big hole , throw our garbage in it , cover it up , and forget about it — or burning it up into a toxic gas . Out of sight , out of mind .
Now that we have had time to evaluate the longer term effects these kinds of decisions have had on our environment , as well as the costs associated with correcting , or at a minimum stabilizing them , we have come to realize their harm and expense is greater than was ever imagined . It ’ s time to educate ourselves on the real costs of disposal , starting with the three basic tenants of recycling : reduce , reuse , and recycle .
Reduction in the manufacturing and distribution side of consumption- based economies is a smart and
Wisdom understands that in a world of ecological interconnectedness there is no such thing as “ away .” We don ’ t throw things away , we simply put them someplace where they defile the land , foul the water , pollute the air , or change the earth ’ s atmosphere .
– Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat
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