Going Green

9 reform ideas for environmental reasons

1. Recycling laws should improve, and should also be better enforced.
2. Packaging companies should use only recyclable material.
3. The rich, and especially big businesses, should be paying a greater share, both in environmental taxes and in fines when they break the law.
4. Environmental fines should be higher in general.
5. There should be more public trash, recycling, and compost bins.
6. Solar stills should be more common.
7. Trees should be planted from the air.
8. Wherever possible, replanting should consist of alternating swaths of coniferous and fruit trees.
9. Selective logging should replace clear-cutting.

Environmental protections are a must. Pollution has damaged the planet too much as it is. These reform ideas, if carried out, would halt the damage and hopefully reverse climate change. It is our responsibility to protect our environment for future generations. We as a global society should cooperate to make a positive impact on the environment.

Reform 1: Improvements to recycling laws

We need to improve our recycling efforts as a whole. It's often overlooked that clothing can be recycled, because it rarely is. And for another example, styrofoam can be recycled, but Metro Vancouver has had no facilities for it since early 2019. Even plastic is often thrown away. Overlooked recyclables in general are something we should be more mindful of.

Also, the existing recycling laws should be better enforced. The United Kingdom and Ireland have already started using microchips in some trash cans, to help ensure that recycling laws are being followed. This is an example that other countries should follow. Thanks to recycling fines, the investment would pay for itself.

When it comes to effective recycling laws, no country beats Japan. It has 34 categories of recyclables, and complex rules around each. For example, broken glass and porcelain must be wrapped in paper to avoid harming the workers who handle it.

Reform 2: Green packaging

Packaging manufacturers need to prioritize the use of easily recyclable materials, such as paper bags. However, the current trend shows a rising use of plastic packaging, including mixed plastics that are hard to recycle. Only through collective efforts can we work towards a more sustainable and greener future.

Reform 3: Billing the rich

As I have mentioned in my direct democracy argument, the wealthy should have additional responsibilities. This would include paying a greater share of environmental taxes. The same would go for major corporations.

This would serve to discourage wealthy people and companies from deliberately breaking the law. You're a lot less likely to break the law if you know you can't afford the fine.

Reform 4: Steeper fines

In order to promote environmentally friendly practices, it is essential to increase fines for littering and pollution. If someone is unable to pay even the minimum fine for littering, they should pay it off with community service.

Littering fines should be even higher when it comes to dumping large objects such as refrigerators. This is a major problem on back roads and in other rural and low-traffic areas such as forested parks.

Reform 5: Increased density of trash, recycling, and compost receptacles

There should be as many as is feasible in each public place. This idea came from a highly unexpected source. Before Disneyland opened in 1955, Walt Disney personally did research into how far someone would walk before they dropped their trash on the ground. From his own observations, he found that virtually no one would litter if the nearest trash can was within 30 feet (about 10 metres).

That level of trash can density makes sense for a theme park, but in most public places, it would be a stretch. The ideal density would vary widely, depending on the nature of the individual public place. A slightly lower density would be workable in downtowns, city parks, and shopping malls, but certainly not in suburban neighbourhoods. For this and other reasons, densification is good for the environment.

Reform 6: Solar stills

Water is a precious resource that is essential for life. It is finite in supply, yet each human requires multiple litres of it on a daily basis. Solar stills should be more widely used. These devices can convert urine or seawater into drinkable water, making them a valuable tool in regions where clean water is scarce.

On a related note, it is important to encourage everyone to reduce their water usage. Even though the drought in South Africa's Western Cape province ended in 2018, the government website still provides a public guide on how to use only 50 litres of water per day. By being mindful of our water usage, we can contribute to the sustainability of our environment and ensure that future generations will have enough water for their needs.

Reform 7: Seed bombing

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology introduced the concept of seed bombing in 1989, but unfortunately, it has not been widely utilized. Seed bombing offers a more efficient approach to planting compared to traditional manual methods. This technique involves wrapping each seed in a cone of fertilizer and dispersing them from an aircraft, allowing for the coverage of a hectare in less than an hour. In contrast, it would take an individual planter approximately 18 days to replant the same area manually. In short, seed bombing is vastly underused.

Reform 8: Alternating swaths of coniferous and fruit trees

My mother made me aware that this would be the ideal solution. Wherever feasible, the replanting efforts should focus on alternating patches of coniferous and fruit trees. Conifers are highly efficient in mitigating pollution, as they absorb more CO2 than deciduous trees. Introducing fruit trees into the mix would not only aid in global food production, but also play a significant role in ensuring food security for communities. This strategic approach to replanting would not only enhance environmental sustainability but also contribute to addressing food scarcity and the impact of climate change.

Reform 9: Selective logging

Selective logging is a practice that should be more widely adopted. By thinning out dense forests, the risk of wildfires can be significantly reduced in terms of both frequency and severity. This approach also eliminates the need for environmentally harmful clear-cutting, making it a more sustainable and responsible method of forest management. In order to protect our natural resources and reduce the impact of wildfires, it is important to prioritize selective logging as a proactive and effective solution.