Sweden runs out of garbage

[Luddly Neddite]

Models of Sustainability: Sweden Runs Out of Garbage - The Pachamama Alliance

Due to Sweden’s innovative waste-to-energy program and highly efficient recycling habits, the Scandinavian nation faces an interesting dilemma. They have run out of trash.

Sweden’s waste management and recycling programs are second to none as only four percent of the nation’s waste ends up in landfills. By contrast, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, over half of the waste produced by U.S. households ends up in landfills....

In order to continue fueling the waste-to-energy factories that provide electricity to a quarter of a million homes and 20 percent of the entire country’s district heating, Sweden is now importing trash from the landfills of other European countries. In fact, those countries are paying Sweden to do so.

You read that correctly, countries are paying to get rid of a source of fuel they themselves produced so that Sweden can continue to have the energy output they need. You don’t have to be an economist to know that’s one highly enviable energy model.

Why can't the US do this?

 

[Mad Scientist]

I used to have 1.5 to 2 garbage cans full every week. But since my Wife and I switched to the Primal Blueprint, we fill maybe 0.5 to 1 can. Processed food has a lot of packaging, Farm Fresh does not.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

We try to be really careful not to buy "disposable" because it really is just another word that means, "forever" but even so, the amount that goes into our recycle just amazes me. A friend who eats crap out of boxes is amazed at how little we have in our recycle.

We really do need to deal with our trash and our waste better than we do. That includes animal waste which is just one more of the many reasons why eating meat is bad.

 

[R.C. Christian]

If you have ever been to Sweden then this would make perfect sense to you.

 

[laughinReaper]

Ikea is out of business?

 

[laughinReaper]

We used to have this in America. House hold Items were made of wood,glass,metal,or other natual/ plant based products. When I was a kid most of the things we bought came in a tin can,paper carton/box or a glass bottle. Kitchen scraps went in the compost in the corner of the yard. We used cloth diapers. We had a septic tank to take care of the poo ( made a big green grass circle in the back yard). Didn't use half the chemicals to clean that gets used today. Garbage went out in the paper bag it came in. Oh and products were made in America and made to last. If it broke, you called a repair man and fixed it. Now they make POS that last on average 5 to 7 years and look at you like you have three heads if you want it fixed. City waste back in the day was so small it was actually in the city of origin. It can be done, it's just Americans are too lazy to be bothered.

 

[Franticfrank]

Yeah this really can be done - there just needs to be some proactivity behind it. Well done to Sweden, good demonstration of what you can accomplish when you get up off your ass.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Only solution: Send our trash to Sweden

 

[Meathead]

Only solution: Send our trash to Sweden

That would make it difficult for the Democrats. It would require a huge absentee voter campaign to win pretty much any election.

 

[Wyatt earp]

Models of Sustainability: Sweden Runs Out of Garbage - The Pachamama Alliance

Due to Sweden’s innovative waste-to-energy program and highly efficient recycling habits, the Scandinavian nation faces an interesting dilemma. They have run out of trash.

Sweden’s waste management and recycling programs are second to none as only four percent of the nation’s waste ends up in landfills. By contrast, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, over half of the waste produced by U.S. households ends up in landfills....

In order to continue fueling the waste-to-energy factories that provide electricity to a quarter of a million homes and 20 percent of the entire country’s district heating, Sweden is now importing trash from the landfills of other European countries. In fact, those countries are paying Sweden to do so.

You read that correctly, countries are paying to get rid of a source of fuel they themselves produced so that Sweden can continue to have the energy output they need. You don’t have to be an economist to know that’s one highly enviable energy model.

Why can't the US do this?

Its because we have mexicans, poles, germans, japs, china men, Irish, English, Indians, blacks......

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Models of Sustainability: Sweden Runs Out of Garbage - The Pachamama Alliance

Due to Sweden’s innovative waste-to-energy program and highly efficient recycling habits, the Scandinavian nation faces an interesting dilemma. They have run out of trash.

Sweden’s waste management and recycling programs are second to none as only four percent of the nation’s waste ends up in landfills. By contrast, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, over half of the waste produced by U.S. households ends up in landfills....

In order to continue fueling the waste-to-energy factories that provide electricity to a quarter of a million homes and 20 percent of the entire country’s district heating, Sweden is now importing trash from the landfills of other European countries. In fact, those countries are paying Sweden to do so.

You read that correctly, countries are paying to get rid of a source of fuel they themselves produced so that Sweden can continue to have the energy output they need. You don’t have to be an economist to know that’s one highly enviable energy model.

Why can't the US do this?

Its because we have mexicans, poles, germans, japs, china men, Irish, English, Indians, blacks......

Sweden is almost all white had a population equal to one of New York borough and land area equal to one of our 57 States.... its comparing apples to monkeys

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mr. H.]

Only solution: Send our trash to Sweden

Good idea, but Biden is a little tied up with Middle East affairs at the moment.

 

[Mr. H.]

Only solution: Send our trash to Sweden

Good idea, but Kerry is a little tied up with Middle East affairs at the moment.

 

[martybegan]

Models of Sustainability: Sweden Runs Out of Garbage - The Pachamama Alliance

Due to Sweden’s innovative waste-to-energy program and highly efficient recycling habits, the Scandinavian nation faces an interesting dilemma. They have run out of trash.

Sweden’s waste management and recycling programs are second to none as only four percent of the nation’s waste ends up in landfills. By contrast, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, over half of the waste produced by U.S. households ends up in landfills....

In order to continue fueling the waste-to-energy factories that provide electricity to a quarter of a million homes and 20 percent of the entire country’s district heating, Sweden is now importing trash from the landfills of other European countries. In fact, those countries are paying Sweden to do so.

You read that correctly, countries are paying to get rid of a source of fuel they themselves produced so that Sweden can continue to have the energy output they need. You don’t have to be an economist to know that’s one highly enviable energy model.

Why can't the US do this?

Waste to energy is a nice way of saying incineration, which is combustion, which is
"bad" according to environmentalists. Try getting an incinerator permit in the US and you will see why we can't do this here.

 

[Katzndogz]

Not only do I not recycle. I make a special point of using as many disposable products as possible. I got a Keurig coffee maker just to throw away those little plastic cups every day. Instead of using a water filter, I use bottled water and throw away the plastic bottle. I could cut down on soda cans by using a soda stream, but I prefer to throw away the cans.

I get much enjoyment out of poking a stick in the enviornazi's eyes.

 

[TruthSeeker56]

Models of Sustainability: Sweden Runs Out of Garbage - The Pachamama Alliance

Due to Sweden’s innovative waste-to-energy program and highly efficient recycling habits, the Scandinavian nation faces an interesting dilemma. They have run out of trash.

Sweden’s waste management and recycling programs are second to none as only four percent of the nation’s waste ends up in landfills. By contrast, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, over half of the waste produced by U.S. households ends up in landfills....

In order to continue fueling the waste-to-energy factories that provide electricity to a quarter of a million homes and 20 percent of the entire country’s district heating, Sweden is now importing trash from the landfills of other European countries. In fact, those countries are paying Sweden to do so.

You read that correctly, countries are paying to get rid of a source of fuel they themselves produced so that Sweden can continue to have the energy output they need. You don’t have to be an economist to know that’s one highly enviable energy model.

Why can't the US do this?

Sweden's lack of GARBAGE is mostly due to SAAB going bankrupt and Volvo being bought out by the Chinese.

 

[Katzndogz]

We used to have this in America. House hold Items were made of wood,glass,metal,or other natual/ plant based products. When I was a kid most of the things we bought came in a tin can,paper carton/box or a glass bottle. Kitchen scraps went in the compost in the corner of the yard. We used cloth diapers. We had a septic tank to take care of the poo ( made a big green grass circle in the back yard). Didn't use half the chemicals to clean that gets used today. Garbage went out in the paper bag it came in. Oh and products were made in America and made to last. If it broke, you called a repair man and fixed it. Now they make POS that last on average 5 to 7 years and look at you like you have three heads if you want it fixed. City waste back in the day was so small it was actually in the city of origin. It can be done, it's just Americans are too lazy to be bothered.

When I was a kid, we had the Rag and Bone man. He came by periodically in a rattletrap truck and everyone came out to sell their rags, kitchen bones and paper. He paid a penny a pound. My Grandma kept everything for the Rag and Bone man.

We didn't have many plastic bottles. We had cans and glass bottles which were thoughtfully tossed out in the street. The kids (like me) would go around and pick them up to go back to the store and get the penny per which we spent on penny candy. Redemption was at the store and if you bought a six pack and returned six empty cans, or bottles you'd get an immediate credit to your new six pack.

Almost nothing wore out. It broke. A repairman would come by and fix it, good as new.

Milk was delivered by the milkman (yes even in the city) and you put the empty bottles out, he would take the empty ones and leave full ones.

We had a great recycling program 60 years ago.