THE BATTLE TO SAVE EARTH We look forward to vacations for months and enjoy the memories for many years afterward But waste created by everything from resorts to transportation is a global problem Even while you're traveling you can do your part in the battle against waste Be a waste warrior on the go The Three Problems with Waste Heaps of Garbage Much of our garbage including trash from planes trains and hotels is thrown into landfills But when waste breaks down in landfills it can harm our environment Plastic can leak harmful things into the soil and air Waste in landfills lets off methane gas as it breaks down On top of that the waste in landfills just sits there stored up for a future generation to deal with That is why waste warriors avoid creating waste We have created landfills to deal with our huge amounts of waste VOLVO
Wasted Resources When we travel by bus train boat or plane oil is burned to power the vehicle Oil is a natural resource of which we have a limited supply It is a fossil fuel that takes millions of years to form from the remains of dead animals and plants but it burns in just a few seconds Polluted Planet Burning gasoline in the engines of airplanes and cars also creates air pollution Fossil fuels such as gasoline release carbon dioxide and other gases when burned These gases Our world is filled trap the sun's heat around Earth causing with trash from temperatures to rise and changing the travelers world's weather over time this is called climate change Carbon dioxide released by airplanes worsens climate change
The Six RS Have a trip planned Want to be a waste warrior while you have fun Here are six tools you can use to help with the war on waste Remember that every positive step however tiny helps us all travel in the right direction Refuse If you have a choice say no thanks to keepsakes that will wind up in the garbage a year down the road Reduce Try to reduce air pollution by using public transportation which uses up less oil than everyone going individually Reuse Pour the shampoo and other liquids you will need into reusable bottles instead of buying travel sized bottles Try sharing shampoos and shower gels with family or friends while you are away Repair Repair suitcases and other travel equipment when it breaks rather than tossing it out and buying something new Recycle Aim to recycle all the metal glass plastic and paper you go through while traveling so it can be made into something new Rot Unwanted foods can go in a compost bin to rot away Try to find a way to compost on the road
Keepsakes often end up in the trash Repairing a suitcase might save you money and fight the planet's waste problem at the same time
