Chapter 16, Problem 1SFY-P395

Summary Introduction

Introduction

Products I use up in a day include toilet paper, facial tissue, paper towel, food scraps, gasoline, and windshield washer fluid. For some there is no practical alternative, but others could be satisfied with renewable resources instead. More comprehensive recycling would help reduce waste, as would a shift to clean power sources such as solar and wind to generate electricity.

Explanation of Solution

Answer and explanation

In a typical day, I use and discard a number of things that cannot easily be replaced by renewables. For example, toilet paper cannot and should not be reused, but I could use less of it. Facial tissues I use to blow my nose could be replaced with cloth handkerchiefs, but those would require washing, which also uses power. I'm not sure carrying several handkerchiefs and washing them regularly is much of a savings over disposable facial tissues. I also throw away some food scraps, at least the ones my dogs cannot eat, and this could be reduced by cooking smaller portions, or trimming fat before cooking. That fat could then be used to supplement my dog's diet or to compost and make into fertilizer for the garden. Gasoline use could be reduced if I drove a hybrid or electric vehicle, and even more so if the electricity is generated with clean technology such as solar and wind rather than burning coal or natural gas. Comprehensive recycling programs would also benefit all of us by reducing the need to mine and process things like metals or plastics.