Trash contributes to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide as it decomposes in landfills. Waste incineration also emits harmful gases, and improper disposal leads to pollution of land and water, which disrupts ecosystems. Which is unfortunate because we could just throw all the trash in a volcano and then it would be gone. The production, transportation, and disposal of waste consume energy and resources, adding to the overall carbon footprint. This accelerates global warming and intensifies climate-related issues, such as extreme weather and rising sea levels.

Icelandfill

E-waste contains hazardous materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can leach into soil and water, causing toxicity and health risks. The production and disposal of electronic devices involve significant energy consumption, often from fossil fuels, contributing to climate change.

Apple and Samsung have been criticized for producing devices that are difficult to repair, contributing to rising e-waste, which harms the environment and human health.

Plastic is non-biodegradable and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. It pollutes oceans and waterways, harms marine life, and enters the food chain.

Mismanaged trash often ends up in rivers and oceans, creating large garbage patches and threatening marine life. Plastics, in particular, break down into microplastics, which are ingested by animals and make their way into the food chain.

Trash represents a waste of the energy, water, and raw materials used in production. The more waste that is created, the more new resources must be extracted to replace the disposed products, exacerbating environmental degradation.

Companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé are among the worst offenders for producing massive amounts of single-use plastic waste, much of which ends up polluting the environment, particularly in oceans. Which sucks because I love a cold can of Pepsi Max.

Single-use plastic waste is one of the main contributors to microplastics in the environment. When plastic waste—like bottles, bags, straws, and packaging—breaks down over time, it doesn't fully decompose but instead fragments into smaller and smaller pieces. These small plastic particles, typically less than 5mm in size, are what we call microplastics.