IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Talking Trash Everyday actions create a carbon footprint—the measure of greenhouse gasses produced by an individual in a year. Everyone makes a footprint, so what we discard helps determine its size. By Lucy Erdelac
Why Trash Matters
I
t’s a fact: Trash is getting harder and harder to contain in our homes, on our streets, and in our landfills. From paper and delivery boxes to small and large electronics, trash produced throughout the city has grown exponentially. The reality of landfills: • Food, clothing, and paper decay in landfills to produce greenhouse gas. • As discarded electronics, appliances, and batteries break down, they emit toxins into the soil that spread into groundwater. Want to responsibly reduce household trash? Here are some ways:
QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ SPRING 2022
Tons of Curbside Trash Collected in Philadelphia (January 2017-June 2021)
Source: Data Release: Sanitation Performance Metrics, City of Philadelphia, Office of the Controller,
November 21, 2021.
