Waste is a major problem faced by the entire world. In recent years, the amount of waste we produce has been increasing.
One of the main reasons for the increase in waste is the rise in consumerism. As people have access to more goods and services than ever before, the demand for products has increased, leading to more packaging, single-use items, and disposable products. For example, the widespread use of plastic bags, bottles, and food packaging has resulted in a large amount of non-biodegradable waste. In addition, the culture of convenience, where people prefer to buy packaged food or single-use products, has contributed significantly to the increase in waste production.
Another factor is the rapid pace of modern life. Many people today lead busy lifestyles and rely on convenience. As a result, they often opt for takeaway meals, ready-to-use products, and items that are designed to be used once and then discarded. This “disposable” mindset has led to a growing amount of rubbish, particularly plastic waste, which is difficult to recycle and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years.
Pemerintah memiliki peran penting dalam mengurangi produksi sampah. Pertama, mereka dapat memberlakukan peraturan yang lebih ketat tentang pengemasan. Misalnya, pemerintah dapat mengenakan pajak pada kemasan plastik atau memberikan insentif bagi perusahaan untuk menggunakan bahan yang dapat terurai secara hayati atau dapat digunakan kembali. Selain itu, pemerintah dapat mempromosikan daur ulang dengan menyediakan infrastruktur yang lebih baik, seperti lebih banyak tempat sampah daur ulang di tempat umum, dan dengan mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya daur ulang.
As a society, we can reduce waste by starting with simple ways such as sorting organic and inorganic waste, not throwing waste into rivers, making compost from household organic waste, donating unused clothes or shoes to others so they don’t have to be thrown away, and there are many other simple ways that we can do.