Here's some surprising news: according to a recent article in the SF Chronicle, in 2012 Californians generated less garbage than ever before.
"Californians reduced the amount of trash sent to landfills to a record low last year, according to new figures from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. State residents and businesses together discarded an average of 4.3 pounds of garbage per day, which is down from 4.4 pounds per person in 2011. By comparison, the state dumped more than 8 pounds per person a day in 1989, the year the Integrated Waste Management Act went into effect."
Of course, this may be as much of a function of a lagging economy as better recycling and consumption habits. Organic waste now represents the largest part of our waste stream, spurring the growth of composting programs state-wide.
"Californians reduced the amount of trash sent to landfills to a record low last year, according to new figures from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. State residents and businesses together discarded an average of 4.3 pounds of garbage per day, which is down from 4.4 pounds per person in 2011. By comparison, the state dumped more than 8 pounds per person a day in 1989, the year the Integrated Waste Management Act went into effect."
Of course, this may be as much of a function of a lagging economy as better recycling and consumption habits. Organic waste now represents the largest part of our waste stream, spurring the growth of composting programs state-wide.
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