This video highlights an issue I have been aware of for quite some time. Even as a child I felt terrible about throwing anything out because I inherently knew that whatever it was I was tossing out, it still had value. Perhaps I didn’t have a use for it anymore, but someone or something somewhere could make use of it. However, I knew once I threw this thing in the waste-bin, it would not be treated as such and would end up as landfill. This concern has continued into my adult life where I often find my house cluttered as the result of trying to find the right ‘home’ for items I no longer need.
I’ve always loved the way the Native American tribes of the plains revered the buffalo and would not waste any of it, using every part of its body to feed, and clothe themselves but also make jewelry and musical instruments. Today we may think that because we are a vegetarian or vegan we are practicing Ahimsa and not doing harm, however as the presenter in the video points out; this is not necessarily the case.
I hope this video will give you some perspective, there is no waste, and perhaps just as importantly, there is hope. If we can change the way we look at and deal with our waste, then we copy Mother Nature which reuses everything. Mother Nature works in a circular fashion, which is why she can keep producing an infinite variety of things. Our economics right now is linear; disposing of what we create, no one thinks about; we throw them in the trash and believe they magically go away. Well, nothing goes away. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, remember?
In the future, we are going to have to start thinking about how we dispose of what we consume, and producers are going to start having to think of how they eliminate what they create. I believe this kind of thinking is the only way forward and despite what some might say, I think if we could see the big picture we would see that not only is it economically feasible, it is essential and beneficial for all. However, you don’t have to wait for the future. Stop wasting your waste today and try to find a good home for it!
