The Big Picture

Every year, humans create more than 2 billion tons of waste, that’s how much waste we make in just one year! The problem is growing, and here are some of the biggest challenges:

Landfills:

• Most trash goes to landfills 🗑️, but landfills take up a lot of space 🏞️ and release harmful gases like methane 🌫️, which causes climate change 🌍.
• Some landfills leak into the soil and water 💧, harming plants 🌱, animals 🐾, and even humans 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦.

Ocean Plastics:

• Every year, 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean 🌊. That’s like dumping one garbage truck 🚛 full of plastic into the water every minute!
• Plastic harms sea animals 🐢🐟, who often mistake it for food 🍴.

E-Waste (Electronic Waste):

• Old phones 📱, computers 💻, and TVs 📺 are often thrown away instead of recycled ♻️.
• E-waste contains harmful chemicals ☠️ that can leak into the soil and water 🌾, causing pollution.

Food Waste:

• About one-third of all food produced is wasted 🍎🍞. That’s enough food to feed 2 billion people every year!
• Wasted food rots in landfills 🗑️ and releases methane 🌫️, contributing to climate change 🌍.

Imagine all the waste we create every year is a big pie 🍕. Each slice of the pie shows what happens to that waste: Landfills (37%): This is the biggest slice of the pie. Most trash ends up in landfills, where it’s buried. Problem: Landfills take up space and release harmful gases like methane, which causes climate change 🌍. Recycled/Composted (33%): This slice shows waste that’s recycled (like bottles and paper) or composted (like food scraps). Good news: Recycling and composting help reduce waste and protect the environment! ♻️ Open Dumps (22%): This slice is trash thrown in places without proper management—like open fields or rivers. Problem: Open dumps pollute soil, water, and air, harming animals, plants, and people 🐾💧. Incinerated (8%): This tiny slice is waste that’s burned in incinerators to create energy. Problem: It reduces waste but releases air pollution and greenhouse gases 🌫️.