394 Solid Waste: Turning a Health Risk Into a Resource
Orgabcnnibzxenacbtrash walk (continued)
➐ List the causes and effects of the problems
Trash WALK
Causes
Problems
• no composting
• burning trash
• lots of bottles
and cans
• bsmadokesmells &
• trash piles
Health effects
• c oughing
• children sicker
with asthma
• polluted water
Since the new
supermarket
opened,
everything they
sell comes in
plastic. This
should go under
the ‘causes’ list.
A facilitator can write the problems people raised on a chalkboard or large paper.
Ask everyone to think about the causes of the community’s waste problems and
write these in a column next to the problems list. Then ask how each problem
affects the health of the community. Write or draw a different health effect related
to each problem in another column.
➑ Plan next steps
Ask the group to review the problems and think about possible actions they can
take to resolve them. Next steps can start with ways to reduce the health effects
of a problem, or try to get rid of a problem completely. Ask questions such as:
• How can each household reduce the amount of trash it produces?
• How can we promote more composting and separating wastes?
• Can a community group or business be formed to collect and reuse waste?
• Is there land to build a compost site or resource recovery center?
• Where is the nearest recycling plant?
• How can local government, community leaders, factories, and businesses each
take responsibility to solve problems caused by waste?
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012