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Local Environmental Issues

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Submitted By mstewart1977
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Discuss an environmental problem that you feel is significant in your town or city. What are some causes? Are any of these causes related to human values and environmental ethics? Explain.

During this week’s discussion, without conscious thought, I realized a major environmental problem within my town. My city council does not think it is necessary for all its citizens to recycle. Though we have a recycling facility in town, and everyone within city limits can elect to have a recycling bin picked up from their home, it is not mandatory nor do people, like me, who live outside the city limits have even the option of having their recycling picked up. To recycle, I would have to sort in my own bins and bring to the facility. I have contacted my home owners association with this problem and was told that the city does not have the resources to pick up recycling in the outer areas of our city. I live in a very rural city, and the trucks, staff, and finical cost are just unavailable.
I think that the issue of not having recycling available to its citizens, my town is showing a lack of environmental ethics. I think that they are not looking out for the environment as they like people to think, or the state mandates, by only allowing certain citizens the resource to recycle. I think that this may also be classified as a lack of human values as well. Making mandated budget cuts to one of the most needed resources in our town while allowing the city’s politicians to receive pay raises, is extremely selfish and could end with detrimental consequences to our environment.

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