Environmental degradation
Many forms of environmental degradation are caused by entities and factors beyond our individual control. Some, however, are factors we each can influence, and can do so nearly every day of our lives. Think about what you have learned during this week about solid and liquid waste.
In your journal entry, consider your level of knowledge about the processing and fate of materials that enter the waste stream before you took the class. In your journal,
Explain if you had a nuanced understanding of how garbage and sewage disappeared yet posed a continued hazard to humanity.
Critique your awareness: Did you worry about these wastes or just thought that they were someone else’s problem (if, while being honest, you thought about it much at all)?
Examine which ethnic groups are more commonly impacted by solid and liquid waste pollution and why.
Conclude with how your thinking has changed since taking this class.
Share how your attitudes and planned actions have changed regarding waste disposal.
Sample Answer
Before taking this class, I had a superficial understanding of solid and liquid waste. I only thought about waste as something that disappears after it is thrown away. I did not fully grasp the environmental and health consequences of improper waste disposal. I also did not consider the fact that waste pollution disproportionately affects marginalized communities, often due to inadequate infrastructure and lack of access to proper waste management services.
My awareness of these issues has been greatly enhanced through this class. I now understand the complexity of waste management, the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling, and the need to invest in sustainable waste disposal solutions. I am also more aware of the disproportionate impact of waste pollution on marginalized communities, and the need to address these issues through equitable waste management policies and practices.