by Long Island Attorney Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
Americans generate approximately 4.5 pounds of garbage each per day or 250 million tons of garbage per year. That’s enough garbage to bury over 80,000 football fields, 6 feet deep with compacted garbage! It is estimated that 4 billion tons of garbage is generated world wide each year. However, if the rest of the countries generated garbage at the same rate as the United States, that figure would be more like 4 trillion tons of garbage each year. We are being buried alive in our own garbage.
Currently in the United States, it is up to local and state governments to enact recycle laws. Unfortunately, they are largely ineffective because they are rarely enforced and often do not apply to businesses. Approximately only 70% of Americans recycle their garbage. The most common reason given as to why the other 30% do not recycle, is that it takes too much time to do so. Our landfills are filling up and we are simply running out of places to put our garbage. Our nation is somewhat green, but needs to start going true green by enacting a long overdue federal recycle law.
Green organizations, movements and websites such as goingtruegreen.com are increasing in numbers and making a difference. However, we need to all act together now in order to preserve a world worth living in for our children and grandchildren. A federal recycle law is one means to that desired end. So the next time you see a soda can in the street, finish reading a newspaper or are about to throw out your empty water bottle, stop and think to recycle. Although recycling may be optional in the absence of a federal recycle law, saving our planet is not.
Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
www.liattorney.com