Protect the Earth's Turf

Have you ever thought about what happens when you throw something "away?" What happens after you lug your garbage can to the curb and it is picked up and dumped into a garbage truck each week? Where is "away?"

Today, when the garbage truck transports your garbage "away," it could go to a local landfill, incinerator, transfer station (where garbage is compacted onto larger trucks for hauling to a farther away site), or a processing plant (for recycling).

Q: What is a landfill?
A. a swimming pool in your backyard
B. a place where mechanics go to buy used auto parts
C. a waste disposal method in which garbage and trash are buried in low-lying ground
Answer: C.

However, most people think "away" is gone, magically disappeared, or "not my concern anymore." The truth is, garbage is your concern. Each of these waste disposal methods may deal with the immediate garbage at hand, but incineration contributes to air pollution and landfills are increasingly filling up. In fact, more and more garbage is being transferred to farther distances (even out of state) just to find a place to dispose of it. (Just think--your garbage could be sent to Michigan for disposal in a landfill!)

"I teach the Wyoming Outdoor Education program at Wyoming Middle School. The department is dedicated to enhancing student's education and appreciation of the natural environment through hands-on activities in school and our community. Learning about recycling is an important part of our curriculum."