Knowing the ins and outs of one's city should include knowing how it keeps clean much like the knowledge offered by the 'Secret Life of Garbage' infographic.
This flow chart shows how waste travels right from when it leaves the litterer's hand and falls into the waste basket. This chart tracks the path of garbage from the truck to the transfer station and all the way to landfills, waste-to-energy plants, recycling centers, compost, manufacturers and right back into stores.
The flow chart makes it easy to understand how garbage filtration works in municipalities and under it are some staggering facts. For example, each year an insane 250 million tons of trash is created and Americans throw away enough aluminum in a year for the car manufacturing sector to produce vehicles for an entire year. This infographic may seem gross to think about but it provides some fresh food for thought.
What's Driving This Trend
- Smart Waste Management
- Opportunities for innovating efficient waste management in urban areas using technology.
- Circular Economy
- Promoting a circular economy that minimizes waste generation through waste reduction, reuse and recycling.
- Sustainable Consumption
- Encouraging responsible consumption and reducing waste generation to transition towards a sustainable future.
Who This Affects Most
- Waste Management
- Implementing smart waste management practices and technology in urban areas for efficient garbage disposal.
- Recycling
- Incorporating advanced recycling technologies and methods to increase waste diversion and promote a circular economy.
- Consumer Goods
- Innovating packaging design and promoting responsible consumption to minimize waste generation.
