Climate Change
fast-food litter
Life is full of conflict.
One current social debate involves 'climate change'.
Nearly everyone who is urgent about climate change bears some responsibility in the issue,
particularly people that are wasteful, which includes those who are overweight.
Most street litter is food litter or dirty diapers.
Overeating is a form of waste.
Every fast-food wrapper requires btu-energy to harvest, produce, transport and dispose of.
(Yes, the raw materials for fast-food wrappers also have to be harvested in some manner.)
These processes consume and release BTUs and chemicals (VOCs) that some consider critical
toward the climate. Examine the food chain and consider all the processes involved in one unnecessary combo meal. It is extraordinary.
And don't forget the extra water used by overeating.
Both in prepping the food and flushing feces.
More trips to the toilet mean more flushes - and more feces for the environment.
Any overweight person who sees climate change as an issue
needs to digest this facet of climate change.
While some people focus on cow-flatulence,
obese people also release a lot of unnecessary flatulence
wheat harvest
Food production
The wrappers are the least part of the food product.
Consider all the work, science and BTUs that goes into a combo-meal that isn't needed.
Wheat for the bun
meat for the protein
onions and lettuce, and maybe jalapenos
cheese.
condiments for the top - ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and special dips
eggs for the batter - the crunchy coating
potatoes for the french fries
ingredients for the drink
and maybe dessert.
So much....
medical consumables
the medical-environmental effects of obesity
I once worked in a 250-bed hospital, on the cleaning crew (Environmental Services Dept.).
Most items in medicine are single use.
Multi-use items have to be sterilized after each use - or cleaned daily.
So many BTUs of energy.
And so much water is used per patient, per day.
It's amazing.
And when the medical problem is obesity-caused, it is all unnecessary.
And the cost to America for all this healthcare, be it private pay or government pay?
Obesity is medically expensive, with heart attacks, diabetic-amputations, etc.
the official symbol
bio-hazard
Have you thought about the environmental impact of biohazard waste,
This all requires energy of some kind.
the throw-aways from doctor's offices and hospitals?
This stuff can't just be recycled as plastics without special preparations
or put in the landfill. The germs could seep into the underground water system.
One company said they heat the medical wastes to 200 degrees
This stuff can't just be recycled as plastics without special preparations
or put in the landfill. The germs could seep into the underground water system.
One company said they heat the medical wastes to 200 degrees
to kill germs before putting it into the normal recycling or disposal process.
This all requires energy of some kind.
So many wasted BTUs.