Do Landfills solve all of our waste problems?

     Landfills, do not solve any of our waste problems. In fact, they just create more environmental problems. Landfills are merely heaps of trash that are used as storage. Now because our trash problem is higher than ever, we are running out of space to put trash in landfills or we are forced to build new landfills. Have you ever thought of the cost, the amount of transportation, and the amount of pollution that goes into using and maintaining a landfill? As said by Nick Goepper, "We're looking for answers in a landfill instead of looking to people who bring the light." Whenever we hear about environmental-related problems that are affecting the world we just sit and do nothing about it. Action and initiative by all of us is the only way to stop problems such as the compounding of waste in human landfills.

Isn't sustainability always expensive?

     This statement is not true. You can be sustainable inside your own home by replacing incandescent light bulbs with LEDs. Here, instead of being expensive, you could save a considerable amount on your energy bill monthly. Another example may include, replacing your current shower with a shower-head that is more water conserving. Here you get the satisfaction of helping the environment and also you can save on your money bills. Some ways of sustainability may be initially expensive but in the long-run they can do you and the environment a lot of good. Let's take the example of solar panels; not many people have solar panels because initially they are very expensive to install. But once you have solar panels you may never have to pay a single energy bill again because the source of energy for you home would be the sun itself.

Don't cotton grocery bags protect water quality?

     This is another common misconception that is false. Using cotton grocery bags do not protect water quality at all. They actually cause approximately 606 times more water pollution compared to plastic bags. A study by the Danish Ministry of Food and Environment found organic cotton requires so much fertilizer that it significantly contributes to the worst water quality problem, deoxygenation that creates “dead zones.” If you are to use either plastic or cotton grocery bags, chose plastic. Although neither of these are ideal for the environment, plastic is the better of the two. Best option yet would be to use biodegradable or compostable bags as these do not harm the environment at all.
                                                                                     *Information courtesy of the Washington Policy Center

Pine trees: good? Bad? or Neutral?

Are pine trees good, bad, or neutral? If you are like me, you may be tired of seeing pine trees every direction you turn outcompeting the other trees. Still, are the actually somewhat valuable to the environment? Believe it or not we do need pine trees in our ecosystem. They prevent soil erosion with their shallow but connected roots. The seeds of pine trees also attracts many types of birds and also squirrels. Finally, many types of pine trees have certain medicinal values. For example the white pine has certain antibiotic properties. The pine resin of white pines can be used as a healing salve while the smoke from burning pine is said to help with respiratory problems such as asthma. Parts of the aleppo pine can be used for internal issues as well as respiratory problems. Where I come from in Wilmingon we have lots and lots of longleaf pines. Longleaf pines are important as they support wildlife and biodiversity, store lots of vital nutrients in the soil, and also store carbon for long periods of time.
                                                                                                                                                                               Information Courtesy of SFGATE

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