The prevention and elimination of solid waste is an important aspect of sustainability. Solid waste is one of the main contributors to global climate change. Greenhouse gases like methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are generated when organic materials such as paper products, food waste, plant debris, and wood, as well as other non-organic materials, are sent to the landfill.
Eliminating waste has many benefits: reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the landfill, lowering the amount of energy used to manufacture, package, and transport items, and decreasing the need to extract “virgin” resources to make new products from scratch.
What can you do instead of adding to the trash can? Choose to reduce your consumption, reuse or repurpose items, repair broken ones, and divert other waste by recycling or composting. Explore the links on the left for more information and explore the links between climate change and
Materials (before use) and
Waste (after use) from regional agency StopWaste.
Are you handy or looking to get something fixed? Fremont Main Library regularly hosts Fixit Clinics with the volunteer run Fix It Clinic organization. Check the library’s
events page for upcoming dates.