Sweden Wannabe
What have you learned about your topic so far?
For my topic, I've learned that Sweden has a great program on how they are able to recycle a lot of their waste. They are able to convert 99% of their wastes into reusable energy. Sweden's success in recycling their wastes comes from 2 reasons. The first reason Sweden is able to so successfully recycle their waste is due to their citizens. The citizens of Sweden play a large role by disposing their trash in an organized manner. Sweden's citizens separate their wastes into metals, plastics, compost, and other materials. This way, it is much easier for the WTE plants to organize the waste into its proper method of recycling. The WTE plants, or waste-to-energy plants, are the second reason behind Sweden's success in recycling. These giant plants burn some of its wastes and convert it into usable energy that is able to provide heat to 810,000 households.
What have you learned about yourself?
I found myself being very interested in recycling and our efforts in it. I discovered that recycling can have a massive positive impact on our environment and it is very easy for our citizens to follow through with. However, despite the effortlessness of recycling, many people end up not recycling mostly because they don't know how to. They don't know what materials should be thrown where, and it has made my passionate about giving society a little help in educating the public and provide more a wider diversity of trash cans to encourage and increase recycling.
Have you had any setbacks? How do you plan to handle them, or how did you already handle them?
One of the things that I have learned that set me back was that Sweden's waste to energy system has its fair share of criticism around the world. Other people also say that Sweden doesn't actually recycle 99% of their waste because the term "recycle" means to reuse whereas they alter the purpose of some materials. Others are concerned about the plants ejecting an immense amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
A setback closer to my goal is that it is very expensive to build a waste-to-energy plant and I should just focus on increasing recycling.
What are the next steps in your process?
My next steps are as following Sweden's lead, to set up more trash cans in different areas, and also to increase the variety of what trash is disposable. I hope to talk to city and ask to set up more trash cans and recycling bins around residential areas where the number of trashcans seems lackluster. I hope to put more trash cans and recycling bins next to crosswalks.
How can you apply anything you have learned to yourself, your school, your community, etc.?
Throughout learning about this project and discovering new interests about me, some ways I can apply what I have learned to my school and community by picking up trash that didn't make it to the garbage can. I can also help my school and community by properly disposing wastes into the garbage cans and recyclable material into the recycling bins. Organizing waste and properly disposing them to where they should go makes a big impact on how much less waste ends up in landfills.
What have you learned about your topic so far?
For my topic, I've learned that Sweden has a great program on how they are able to recycle a lot of their waste. They are able to convert 99% of their wastes into reusable energy. Sweden's success in recycling their wastes comes from 2 reasons. The first reason Sweden is able to so successfully recycle their waste is due to their citizens. The citizens of Sweden play a large role by disposing their trash in an organized manner. Sweden's citizens separate their wastes into metals, plastics, compost, and other materials. This way, it is much easier for the WTE plants to organize the waste into its proper method of recycling. The WTE plants, or waste-to-energy plants, are the second reason behind Sweden's success in recycling. These giant plants burn some of its wastes and convert it into usable energy that is able to provide heat to 810,000 households.
What have you learned about yourself?
I found myself being very interested in recycling and our efforts in it. I discovered that recycling can have a massive positive impact on our environment and it is very easy for our citizens to follow through with. However, despite the effortlessness of recycling, many people end up not recycling mostly because they don't know how to. They don't know what materials should be thrown where, and it has made my passionate about giving society a little help in educating the public and provide more a wider diversity of trash cans to encourage and increase recycling.
Have you had any setbacks? How do you plan to handle them, or how did you already handle them?
One of the things that I have learned that set me back was that Sweden's waste to energy system has its fair share of criticism around the world. Other people also say that Sweden doesn't actually recycle 99% of their waste because the term "recycle" means to reuse whereas they alter the purpose of some materials. Others are concerned about the plants ejecting an immense amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
A setback closer to my goal is that it is very expensive to build a waste-to-energy plant and I should just focus on increasing recycling.
What are the next steps in your process?
My next steps are as following Sweden's lead, to set up more trash cans in different areas, and also to increase the variety of what trash is disposable. I hope to talk to city and ask to set up more trash cans and recycling bins around residential areas where the number of trashcans seems lackluster. I hope to put more trash cans and recycling bins next to crosswalks.
How can you apply anything you have learned to yourself, your school, your community, etc.?
Throughout learning about this project and discovering new interests about me, some ways I can apply what I have learned to my school and community by picking up trash that didn't make it to the garbage can. I can also help my school and community by properly disposing wastes into the garbage cans and recyclable material into the recycling bins. Organizing waste and properly disposing them to where they should go makes a big impact on how much less waste ends up in landfills.
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