Seven days of garbage: a photoproject showing the horror of a civilization of consumption

Modern civilization is characterized by a large amount of waste generation, both domestic and industrial. This problem is especially acute in the economically developed countries of the world. Ecologists and engineers are busy solving the problem of waste disposal, but the amount of garbage is growing every year.

This is due primarily to the scale of consumption of goods and services in modern society. Most household waste is made up of plastic bags, metal, plastic and glass containers from purchased goods, paper and cardboard packaging. People are accustomed to comfort and convenience and are unlikely to abandon their habits, even out of noble motives. You can drastically change the situation and save a planet choking on debris by limiting the consumption of plastic. Unfortunately, biodegradable disposable bags or other environmentally friendly packaging are only available to a narrow circle of consumers.

The most affordable method of disposal around the world is still disposal at landfills. The second most popular way to get rid of waste can be called the construction of incinerators. But this method often provokes protests from environmentalists and the local population: exhaust gases from such plants contain a high percentage of toxic substances. The graph shows which waste disposal methods are most popular in the developed countries of the world.

According to statistics, 445 kg of municipal solid waste are produced per inhabitant of Russia per year, in Japan - 410 kg, in Italy - 550 kg. But in the United States, this figure is much higher - 760 kg per person.

To show the horror of the civilization of consumption, the American photographer Gregg Segal (Gregg Segal) brought to life an unusual project called "7 days of garbage." The heroes of his photographs during the week collected all the household garbage that forms in their home, and then Gregg held an unusual photo shoot. These amazing images better than any numbers reflect the environmental catastrophe of modern civilization.