Bogged Down In Garbage

by Bryan T.

Bogged down in garbage? Sure seems so.

Green trivia facts and eco-stats here for you to sink your teeth into, but only just a few of the many many that are out there.

You might be astounded at what you read, and all the more reason to pay attention to taking care of this planet and ourselves at the same time. These items have been reported on by a number of Agencies -Trash for Cash, EPA, Eco-Cycle to name a few.

GLOBAL WASTE, OVERFLOWING LANDFILLS

The U.S. alone produces about 200,000,000 tons of waste each year. Almost 600 diapers are tossed every second, over 2 1/2 million plastic bottles every hour are thrown out, or 40 billion pop cans and bottles per year collectively.

Cell phones that are disposed of number 100 million per year, and over 100,000 computers are thrown out every day as well. Just over 10 percent of electronic waste (we're talking millions and millions of metric tons) is actually recycled properly.


FRESHWATER, STATE OF OUR OCEANS

Of all the water in the world, guess how much we can get at? Less than 1%. Even this much is becoming contaminated quickly.

Almost 60% of our coral reefs are in danger from human activity and pollution, if some of them aren't already dead and lifeless.

The Pacific Vortex (the swirling garbage dump) in the Pacific Ocean holds at least 100 million tons of waste, just endlessly floating around, going nowhere, and doing nothing but causing pollution and danger for marine life and seabirds.


RECYCLING TO SAVE OUR TREES

Two thousand pounds of paper recycled could protect at least 17 trees.

Over 25 million trees could be saved annually if even one tenth of the newspapers produced annually were recycled.


GLOBAL RESOURCES

America takes up 5% of the world's population. But, uses 25% of natural resources available.

Coal, gas and oil generate over 50% electricity used in the United States.

In the States, forest land accounts for less than 4% in the entire country. Almost 80% of global forests are gone.

The Chinese population in the cities numbers over 550 million. Just 1% are actually breathing air considered safe.

Hazardous waste, acid rain is killing off plant-life and organisms.

EXISTENCE OF HARMFUL CHEMICALS

Of the over 80,000 chemicals out there, more are appearing in places they shouldn't and having effects on the human body causing subsequent health issues.

OUR NATURAL PLANTLIFE, PRECIOUS WILDLIFE

Dead zones (areas starved for oxygen and can't support life) forming in total equals the state of Oregon in size so far.

Because of overhunting, natural habitats being destroyed from over-processing, land and water pollution, extinction is a possibility for 1 out of 4 mammals.

Definately some very depressing green trivia findings and eco-statistics here to think about. We seem to be drowning in waste of our own making for the most part. And people actually wonder why we need to be concerned about green living?