For this week, I took a picture of my family’s trash again. In the trash, I noticed a lot of little scraps and different letters from the mail. There’s also takeout and some food packaging that is clearly visible. A big takeaway for this week is the fact that my family still receives letters and […]
Landfills and waste sites reflect societal perceptions of waste and cleanliness. Historically, in states like Massachusetts, landfills are placed in low-cost, low-valued areas. While this is cost-efficient, it often overlooks environmental and health concerns for nearby communities. Additionally, landfills are sometimes located near bodies of water and wetlands, increasing the risk of water contamination. A
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This week I took a picture of my family‘s trashcan since I’ve been home for spring break. Initially, looking at the photo one can see that this is a larger trashcan, and most of the items inside that I could see have plastic parts. I also see multiple different packaging items that have been thrown
This week’s readings highlight the stark differences between typical DSNY workers and the Pedal People. What stands out most to me is how the Pedal People prioritize emotional well-being and mutual care within their business, something rarely seen in traditional urban maintenance jobs. DSNY employees are predominantly men who operate within a system shaped by
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This weekend I attended a conference at Yale University and so I was not in my dorm or actual house very much. What I have accumulated are a lot of paper and recyclable items. I noticed that I use lots of tissues and don’t throw away food items, especially in my dorm room. Through tracking
Before industrialization, households were resourceful and innovative in making their belongings last. However, with the rise of technology and modern society, consumerism has taken precedence, leading people to rely on corporations to address issues once solved through self-sufficiency. Over time, there has been an increasing desire for privacy, evident in trends such as digital communication,
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This weekend I stayed home longer than normal. Sometimes when I stay home it results in my family ordering food. In the photo, you can see how we used the Wingstop bag to hold other items we wanted to throw away. Similarly to what we have been discussing this week, we can take note that
The concept of freeganism works against the damaging consequences of modern food systems, especially in America. The action of commodifying food makes a consumer promote throwaway culture and feel that food products will always be readily available. The US having fully stocked and colorful supermarkets, also enhances these ideologies. Being hyper-focused on the aesthetics of
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In this weekend’s worth of nails, I accumulated about a small back size of trash. Similarly to last week, there are a lot of pink, dental babes, paper towels, and files. In addition, I see in this weeks tracking are the throwing away of gloves and more smaller plastic items used for nail design designs.
In this week’s readings and discussions, we dove into the evolution of human waste, and how the connotations of shit changed through time. It is interesting to think about how something natural like human waste has been perceived in the modern day, especially since past perceptions of it have been relatively positive. In many cultures
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