I was reading an article on the European Union’s concern about meeting their goal of reusing or recycling 50% of plastic packaging by 2025 and 55% by 2030. Europeans don’t bury or dump into the ocean their plastics like we do. They burn theirs so they don’t have Alps of dumps. Burning plastics produces global warming gases which they are trying to reduce. Europe has been good at recycling their waste for decades.

As our population grows, we build mountains or find holes to dump our garbage. Most of it could be recycled or composted instead of dumped on higher and higher piles. Joliet, Illinois has low piles next to I-80. Morris, Illinois’ piles are higher but well off the main roads and more hidden. Both started off in holes or they would be much taller. Even if they hadn’t started off in holes, they wouldn’t be mountainous like those close to I-55 near Pontiac, Illinois. Pontiac’s mountains are easily the highest points in many, many miles.

Our country has real growth problems: population, global warming, fires, drought, hurricanes, air and water pollution, nuclear waste storage, garbage dumps, and a myriad of other issues. Our next President must address these issues that the current President has dismissed as unimportant. Biden says his administration will be governed by science. If he really does make science a basis for his administration, our life will change and ultimately for the better. We have been digging the hole deeper every year to avoid irritating monied interests. Let us hope President Joe Biden will save us while there is still time.