What is waste and how is it created
We can say that waste is a substance or an object that the person who has produced it, wants to get rid of. Often we only see the waste in our trash can, and it does not make us worry, but actually waste is a serious problem for the Planet. Why?
In nature, the concept of waste does not exist. In fact, in biological cycles whatever is discarded by one organism becomes a resource for other living beings so that nothing is wasted and everything is transformed. Dead organisms, animal faeces, or plant remains are defined organic waste and are used as food for particular organisms known as decomposers, that transform the waste products of other living beings into precious resources and are therefore very important.
Up to the last century, man behaved very much like nature. Specially in the farming society, due to the lack of resources everything was utilized and nothing was thrown as long as it was useful. Almost all that was thrown was organic and was disposed of by the decomposers in nature.
The advent of the industrial revolution and the increase in goods brought into society, also determined an increase in the consumption, and therefore an increase in the amount of waste. In fact, in the current social and productive models, after withdrawing material and energy from the environment in order to produce consumer goods, the production of waste follows. Waste is not only organic as in the pre-industrial society, but is also inorganic (as in the case of plastic) and often waste remains in the environment for a long period of time as it is not a source of food for any organism. This implies two things: first of all waste is generated by us during our daily activities, and by the industries that produce the products that we make use of to live, but also there are no cleaners that re-use a large part of our waste, and therefore it accumulates in large quantities. Human beings are trying to find some solutions. Which?
Special reports
-
13 May 2013
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
15 April 2014
How rich are we …. in blue gold?
Water footprint, water availability and use on a planetary scale...
-
27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population...
18 May 2011
Artificial photosynthesis
The history of science and technology is packed with discoveries and inventions inspired by nature...
-
10 September 2020
A simple and ingenious invention
There are objects so simple and ordinary that we forget their existence when we don't need them. Their presence is…
17 March 2020
Energy and renewable sources: what is the current status?
The unstoppable growth of renewable sources continues…
23 September 2019
Everything is transformed
At primary school we learn that nothing is created and nothing is destroyed. We have heard this phrase so many…
-
13 May 2013
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
-
15 April 2014
How rich are we …. in blue gold?
Water footprint, water availability and use on a planetary scale...
27 September 2012
Over 7 billion people on Earth
Demographers have estimated that on 31 October 2011 world population...
-
18 May 2011
Artificial photosynthesis
The history of science and technology is packed with discoveries and inventions inspired by nature...
-
13 May 2013
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
-
15 April 2014
How rich are we …. in blue gold?
Water footprint, water availability and use on a planetary scale...
From the Multimedia section
Facts
-
Bio-climatic architecture
Solar energy is playing a vital role with reference to bioclimatic architecture...
The photovoltaic train
In Italy the PVTRAIN project by Trenitalia (co-financed by the European Union) plans...
The plant of Almeria
In the Tabernas desert, 30 km north-east of the Andalusia town of Almeria (Spain)...
-
A hydrogen house
In Settimo, a municipality close to Turin, the first Unité d’Abitation has been created...
-
Hydrogen from biomass
Hydrogen is an energy carrier that allows to generate energy in an environmentally sustainable way...
Some curiosities about methane hydrates
The melting of the ice cells, not only brings about the release of methane gas, but it also produces another…
Geographical distribution of energy
Every day the Earth receives enough solar energy to satisfy the global energy need. Unfortunately we cannot exploit all this…
-
16 May 2011
Bio-climatic architecture
Solar energy is playing a vital role with reference to bioclimatic architecture...
The photovoltaic train
In Italy the PVTRAIN project by Trenitalia (co-financed by the European Union) plans...
-
The plant of Almeria
In the Tabernas desert, 30 km north-east of the Andalusia town of Almeria (Spain)...
-
16 May 2011
A hydrogen house
In Settimo, a municipality close to Turin, the first Unité d’Abitation has been created...
-
Bio-climatic architecture
Solar energy is playing a vital role with reference to bioclimatic architecture...
-
The photovoltaic train
In Italy the PVTRAIN project by Trenitalia (co-financed by the European Union) plans...
-
The plant of Almeria
In the Tabernas desert, 30 km north-east of the Andalusia town of Almeria (Spain)...