Waste Management- An Individual Responsibility

Waste is pest that infests every society. Be it urban or rural, at this point of time, the challenge of waste management is faced by everyone, everywhere. The waste has some connections with the upcoming of civilization and industrialization. But this is not something anyone can take control of. With the increasing number of population, the necessities have grown. When we ask for our needs to mother world, we also have to be accountable of what we do to her.

The waste was not a problem in olden days. People hardly talked about it. No plastics used and the papers used were the hand made that was not readily available. No technology and no constructions. People at that period of time would not have even thought of such menace that we are facing at present. There are different kinds of wastes; Solid waste (degradable and non-degradable), waste water, e-waste, medical waste, industrial waste and mechanical waste from automobile workshops. Some of these waste especially the one which is non-degradable, e-waste and those coming from industrial sites and automobile workshops are very hazardous to every living organism. It pollutes soil, rivers and also the air we breathe in. 

Necessity is mother of all inventions. People invented many things to ease their livelihoods. All kinds of machineries, edibles and technologies have been invented. All these technologies after using it for many years become e-waste. If we happen to visit the landfill sites in every city, major chunk will be e-waste followed by papers and plastics. In Bhutan with the increased import of all the edibles, the plastic wastes have been increased. Almost all the edibles imported are wrapped in plastic covers. All these plastic covers either end up in landfill or are seen everywhere along the road sides and in towns. The improper dumping of waste has increased over a time with the increasing number of people living in the city. The problem has been the same in rural areas because everyone fully depended on the packed foods which are imported. Even the places where there are no inhabitants, the visitors and the passerby could have littered the place. Recently there has been a report that even the far flung religious shrines are faced with waste problems. The littering of the places is all because of the carelessness of the people. Having no love for the Mother Nature and this is how we repay for so much the mother has provided to us. 

We are becoming little more irresponsible. Our mindset and attitude have to be changed now. We are civilized and have to act like one. There is no one after us to clean up our mess. We have to be accountable of our own activities. We have to start from self. If one of us start thinking about this world and help manage our own waste, remember, one rascal will be reduced. Waste is directly related to anthropogenic activities. If we are mindful of what we do, there should not be a way to create waste. If this could have been the practice long ago, we would not be facing an epidemic outbreak of this waste pest. Now is the high time we look back at our mistakes and let not the next generation suffer because of our uncorrected mistakes. Waste cannot be controlled but can be managed. There are private individuals and also the government workers coming door to door to collect the waste. It is an individuals' responsibility to at least segregate and take to the dumper trucks and dispose it off. If we segregate the waste, it would be useful in many ways. The total amount of waste going to landfill sites will be reduced and also it is a source of income for some as there are people who really believe in "cash in trash". Do not litter, never think 'a small piece of paper would not make any difference, an empty bucket could be filled drop by drop'. We have to be ashamed of ourselves to litter. Even if someone litters, pick it up and teach them a lesson in life. 

DO NOT LITTER, KEEP OUR PLACE CLEAN, USE USE-ME!!!