Ways to Reduce Environmental Problems

The 3Rs Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Use biodegradable plastics or cloth bags

Proper waste disposal

EverywhereCheapLightWater-resistantConvenient to carry aroundPlastic bags

About 85 million plastic bags and plastic bottles are used on Earth every three minutes.

Non-biodegradableTake a long time to break down (takes up to 1000 years to decompose on the land).Stay long time in landfills, rivers, oceans and streets.

Plastic bags in drains and canals can also block drainage and water systems, leading to floods.

Plastic litter is harmful to marine life because birds and animals mistakenly digest them or become entangled in them.

No Plastic Bag Weekend campaignLaunched on 26 March 2011Will not give out plastic bags on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays so customers will have to use green bags or paper boxes.

2. Drinking waterDrinking soft drinks that come in disposable containers increase waste.

Instead buying soft drinks, we can fill reusable bottles with drinking water.

Proper disposal of our rubbish is another way to protect our habitat.

This means having proper waste disposal methods like collecting, transporting, processing and monitoring.

Landfills

Burying waste in quarries or low-lying land

AdvantageDisadvantageInexpensive and convenientFilled land can be reusedCommonly used around the worldNeeds proper planningCan attract pests like rats, cockroaches and crows, leading to spread of diseaseCreate odour problemsKills surface vegetationUses vast areas of land

2. Incineration

Controlled burning of waste at high temperatures

AdvantageDisadvantageUse minimum landCan be used in any weatherCan deal with large volumes of rubbishCan convert heat from the incinerators to help generate electricity in power plants.Expensive to build and operateRequires a lot of power to run incineratorsNeeds skilled workers to operate equipmentCan have problems with smog

3. Ocean dumping

Channelling waste into open seas

AdvantageDisadvantageConvenientInexpensiveIrresponsibleLeads to sea pollution that destroys marine life