Where Does Your Trash End Up?

Where does your stuff go when you throw it away? The reality is a lot closer than you think.

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[Cathyy]

Very good video! Reducing waste is a hard challenge, it should be a law about packagings, and more zero waste product/more affordable!

[springchild]

I agree with one of the commentators. I dislike Trump but you have to take it out. It's not like Biden is much better. This video should be for everyone. Also, do you have a version of this video for incinerators?

[Ally-ugnq]

A video that is eye opening. I am not American yet very aware of waste and how it can be disposed of where I live. There are plenty of ways an individual can reduce there waste, two of the easiest ways is to look after the items you already have and only purchase what you need, even better purchase second hand or borrow from someone you know. I could keep going...

[TheShelleyb]

As much as I despise Trump, including that footage is not productive or helpful, and will steer people away. We need to be inclusive since waste and unsustainable habits are problems we ALL face and should do so together. I loved the "leak-ate" leachate correction...cute.

[ByngJohn]

Good video that is thought provoking. But please try and be less USA centric. The story could be presented as a problem for the whole of the western world with some USA and European examples. Or even as a problem for the whole world to include some Chinese, Japanese and Indian examples. More expensive to produce but I think the extra cost would be worthwhile.

[sherylsmithflower]

I make shopping bags out of big bird seed bags and dog food bags (the strong woven plastic kind). They are so much stronger than the free ones at the grocery store, they hold a lot more, and some companies will even pay you a small amount to use them. They never break. And they look fabulous and fun! I have a hook by my door where I put the bags, so I remember to put them back in my car. Once you get used to it, the flimsy store bags just seem like junk! Now that I have enough for me, I give away bags whenever I make them.

[robinschneider]

Thanks for putting this together, SOS. I work for Texas Campaign for the Environment and we work with lots of neighbors of trash facilities all over Texas and this is a good explainer. However, I question why any footage of President Trump was included. Especially in Texas, we work with people across the political spectrum and the decision to include him makes it less likely that folks who are with Trump are going to listen to the message. Secondly in Texas, the laws and standards for landfills are so loose we have an abundance of landfill space, so it would have been better to say "in some places landfill space is in short supply." The work of SOS is great and I'm a monthly donor. I'm willing to preview videos so they are more relevant to folks in Texas.

[m.n.executor]

1:56 When he said "You know, the wholesome stuff" I just had to pause and like the video lmao☺

[happybtms]

This was shareable up and after the slam to Trump. There are 1, 000's of politicians who have been in office for decades and have done NOTHING about our trash. Trump has been in office for three years and our decades of poor waste management are now his fault? I have followed, promoted, and donated to Story of Stuff. I expect better of your organization. We are all in this together.

[Dozerman]

As someone who works in the waste industry at a landfill you are really misinformed. We have to follow strict guidelines regulations and are inspected fined and even shutdown if we break any laws or there’s a threat of contamination. Landfills are lined sealed and covered every day. Also when they are closed it’s monitored for 30 years then turned into a park golf course ect. Yes people don’t like them but we all produce waste and it all had to go somewhere.

[Eyologist]

Five-part curbside recycling could be done by local trash and recycle pickup companies. The divisions would include (1) kitchen and paper wastes, (2) wood and yard wastes, (3) plastic, glass and metal wastes, (4) electronic components and other mixed composite materials, and (5) chemicals including contained household toxins and other hazardous wastes. At home, personally, all paper products except cardboard can go thru an inexpensive paper shredder (I use an Aurora 1210MA) . That then goes into my compost pile with all kitchen scraps plus some horse manure from a local farm. In about 90 days, this is food for my garden--which garden I eat from daily. Even with a small yard you can grow veggies and even have fruit tree or two. A small greenhouse extends your growing season. The optimum is a 5 to 10 acre off-the-grid cooperative community of 16-25 persons who are close to you in beliefs and feelings.

[greenandyellow]

I wish you would have talked about how leachate is handled by landfills and how it depends on their geographic location. For people unfamiliar with landfills, this gives the impression that leachate is accumulating forever, when it is not the case. However, I've always been wanting to know the effects of leachate on the environment with how landfills handle it--i.e landfills in warmer climates pump out the leachate and place them in evaporation ponds within the landfill. How does that affect the environment around us?

[VelvetVrchat]

OMG ITS ALATOR FROM HAZBIN HOTEL 😧😁 0:01

[terrycummings]

This vid is great. I was particularly moved by: "A moment for the fallen." Thank you Amir and The Story Of Stuff!

[grahat.]

That's a good explanation for me who thought that my trash are end up for the real end before....

[SankofaAncestorShrine]

I literally have lived in CA most of my life & have no clue where West Covina is! Should show a quick & general map please 🙏🏾

[clarissemulvany]

I can't believe why this is not viral🙃

[conchitasofia]

What does Donald Trump (clip 1:21) have to do with trash wasting away in a landfill that has been there for over 30 years?

[Kragatar]

How to reduce waste: Instead of making food containers increasingly cheap, flimsy and disposable, pay for the good materials to make them robust and reusable. You pay a deposit for the container when you buy the food, then get your deposit back when you return the empty container.

[ezazzera]

Trash in Westchester County NY gets burned. Where "Away" becomes our lungs!