Many of us were told as children by older generations that we shouldn’t throw away food. As a rule, this was said by grandparents who knew what a time of hunger was and it was hard for them to watch. There were also those who did not want to do this from the point of view of acceptance and beliefs. But these days there is a concrete rationale for why you shouldn't actually throw food in the trash. The answer turns out to be quite logical, and most importantly, it has a scientific basis.
Why you shouldn't throw away food
At the beginning, I propose to examine the superstitious point of view. It also has its justification, as part of the historical heritage.
It’s worth starting with the fact that since time immemorial, bread has been a symbol of food. Even sayings and sayings all talk about this. For example, “Earn your bread” or “Welcome with bread and salt.” All this is due to the fact that since time immemorial in Rus' (and not only) bread has been the most popular food. Of course, there was meat, fish, poultry and much more, but the main class - the peasants - ate bread. All because the raw materials for it could be stocked up for the winter, and it was very nutritious.
It is for this reason that bread was highly valued and even literally revered. Throwing away bread, into which a lot of peasant labor and risk had been invested, was considered an unheard-of luxury, and even could bring trouble, poverty and hunger to the person who did it. It’s hard to expect a different attitude towards a product that should feed you all winter. But, at the same time, the crop may die from heavy rains or, conversely, from drought. Then it will be bad for everyone.
It's truly a shame to throw away such beauty
A little later, when the issue of food and its storage was generally resolved, there were many wars and epidemics, which also forced people to save food. Well, don’t forget about besieged Leningrad. Everyone who has completed it has a special relationship with the products.
All these reasons have developed, especially in the older generation, the habit of saving food. In fact, there is nothing wrong with this, but even if we reject this norm and throw away food just like that, without worrying about the billions of people in the world who are dying of hunger, there is another reason why it is better to reconsider your attitude towards consumption.
Why do combs, hairpins and hairpins seem to get lost?
Although popular beliefs often rely on their own special logic, which is not always clear at first glance, and sometimes they do without it altogether, you cannot deny the ability to build cause-and-effect relationships to your ancestors. When wondering what future events this or that object signals, our ancestors always paid attention to its purpose. For example, a knife quite predictably meant danger. The handkerchief promised tears. The watch indicated problems with time, which a person wastes... With hairpins, the situation is similar:
- As a purely feminine attribute - it is no secret that long braids in the old days were considered the privilege and pride of the fair sex - they carry news of changes in relationships with a loved one. Alas, in this case the news is unpleasant: the disappearance of a bobby pin or comb threatens to result in the loss of a boyfriend or separation from a young man.
- As a sharp and rather dangerous object - history knows many cases when brave young ladies used long stilettos as weapons - they symbolize an enemy who has a grudge against you. Moreover, the loss of a hairpin means that at the moment you are “unarmed,” that is, especially vulnerable to all kinds of dirty tricks. Keep your eyes open and don't let your enemies drag you into a showdown!
- As a guardian of women's honor - losing a comb and appearing in public with loose hair for a married woman in previous centuries meant getting a serious stain on her reputation - predicts an avalanche of gossip behind her back and someone's bad thoughts. Oh, and the gossips will itch with their tongues, talking about your person! However, over time, the omen has softened, and today some interpreters believe that they will talk about you, but not in a bad way. What if it’s a passionately in love fan telling his friends how wonderful you are?
I advise you to protect everything that comes into contact with your hair, especially your eyes.
There is another dangerous moment in the loss of any hair accessory. On a comb or elastic band you will probably find a few hairs of the mistress, and to bring trouble to a person, the witch doesn’t need more. Little of! It was believed that by combing your hair with someone else's comb, you could take away the beauty of the girl to whom it previously belonged. That is why, in order to avoid damage and not look bad, rich ladies used to lock their combs in a special box, away from the hands of others. And peasant girls did not throw such things around; they kept them in a bag on their belts or in a secluded place in the hut.
What happens to food in landfills?
First of all, it is worth understanding that the products are organic. Unlike many other types of waste, it tends to rot in the ground. In some ways, this is reminiscent of compost pits, which are used by many gardeners, gardeners and just country residents. There is just one fundamental difference between waste disposal in suburban areas and in landfills. And it lies in the way waste is stored.
If we are talking about a compost pit or heap, the process of rotting there occurs with the participation of aerobic bacteria. They help turn organic waste into compost. In order for them to exist and do their difficult work, they need oxygen. In landfills, buried waste is compacted tightly with bulldozers and laid in layers of soil. All this prevents oxygen from reaching food waste. As a result, the decay process occurs with the participation of anaerobic bacteria that do not need oxygen.
Cars working in a junkyard look more like cars from the movie Mad Max
This is the problem, since in the process of their activities they emit carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen sulfide. There are other unpleasant substances in the “exhaust” of landfills that pose a threat not only from an environmental point of view, but are also very flammable. This mixture is sometimes called landfill gas. In addition to the listed gases, landfill gas includes the following substances:
- Methane - 50-75%
- Carbon dioxide - 25-50%
- Nitrogen - 0-10%
- Hydrogen sulfide - 0-3%
- Oxygen - 0-2%
- Hydrogen - 0-1%
The exact ratio of gases varies depending on a large number of factors, but the average picture looks like this.
You may ask why such a large amount of methane cannot be used in energy production, and you will be right. There is a truly successful program for collecting landfill gas and processing it around the world. The problem is that the collection system is quite complex, and even in the most environmentally demanding countries, not all landfills are equipped with such systems.
This is how landfill gas is collected
But, for example, in the United States, according to the American Environmental Protection Agency, greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions of 14 million cars were reduced per year by collecting landfill gas. Capturing that much gas would require 20 million acres of forests. Utilization of this amount of gas allowed the United States to save 169 million barrels of oil. Impressive numbers, aren't they?
In our country, the collection of landfill gas is not widespread. This is largely due to the fact that many landfills were created in the 80-90s, when few people thought about such a thing as ecology.
This is what the landfill gas processing scheme looks like.
By the way, each of you can feel the presence of landfill gas in the air. For example, the first time I thought about this was when I was driving along the road and felt a very pronounced smell that usually accompanies a domestic gas leak. At first I wanted to call special services, but then a landfill appeared from behind the trees. At that moment everything fell into place. The smell was indeed somewhat similar.
Gas bubbles form inside a large pile of debris and are under high pressure. Sometimes they break out on their own, sometimes they are released into the atmosphere so that they do not pose a threat of explosion, because this mixture is very flammable. Sometimes, however, fires happen. In this case, the smell of the gases themselves is mixed with the smell of waste combustion products. These odors are very clearly felt several kilometers, and sometimes tens of kilometers from the landfill. Although, even just the smell of released gas can sometimes be felt at a fairly large distance from the landfill.
Demonstration of landfill gas flammability
Separate waste collection
At such moments, it is not difficult to imagine how much landfills litter the environment and why it is important to take measures to recycle waste and properly store it. For example, in Europe, even some hotels have containers for separate waste collection. Even in Russia, they have recently become very concerned about environmental issues. The measures so far, however, are not the most effective, but such an issue is unlikely to be resolved immediately.
Garbage collected in blocks
Many people think that separate waste collection is difficult. In fact, it’s enough just to throw away the so-called dry garbage in blue containers, if they are in the dumpsters near your home. So far, the program does not work in all regions, but if it shows its effectiveness, the geographic presence of blue containers will be expanded.
In large cities there are more advanced systems and full-fledged waste separation points. They are a large box with several containers inside, above which it is written what exactly needs to be thrown out there.
Such containers are increasingly found in yards. According to some estimates, they prevent about 1 million tons of garbage per year from ending up in landfills.
In order to start separate waste collection, it is enough to understand that it requires almost no effort, but a plastic bottle that is not recycled will lie in the ground or float in the ocean for hundreds of years. One bottle, of course, won’t solve anything, but you shouldn’t think that “I’m unique and only I can do this.” As a result, if every resident of, for example, Moscow throws away one bottle, that will be more than ten million bottles. Now look at your trash can and imagine that millions of people in a major city and billions around the world are throwing away the same amount. If we recycle even half of this amount, it is not difficult to imagine how much cleaner our world will become. This applies even to such small things as batteries and light bulbs, containers for which are available in many shopping centers and even large office buildings.
Many admire that in the Scandinavian countries ecology has been elevated to a cult and are indignant at why this is not the case here. The fact is that it is in their blood. We also have attempts to do this, but there is not enough response from the population. If there is a response, then measures will be taken more actively.
Other signs associated with the comb
Among the most common superstitions are the following:
- put on the table - quarrels and conflicts are coming;
- leave it on the bed - hair will grow more slowly in the future;
- combing your hair with someone else’s comb means transferring his problems and illnesses onto yourself;
- accept as a gift - outsiders will learn about the hidden secrets, luck will leave the recipient of such a gift for a long time.
Found, broken and lost combs deserve special attention. The signs about them are very ambiguous.
Find
If you are lucky enough to find a comb on the street, signs can have both negative and positive meanings:
- If found on the way home or on the floor in your home, conflicts will arise within the family.
- Found by an unmarried girl - she will soon meet her life partner. It is worth taking a closer look at your immediate surroundings. It is possible that the betrothed is somewhere nearby.
- To see it outside the city or on the road in a village - good luck will accompany you in all your endeavors; numerous joyful events are expected.
It is worth remembering that these objects often have a spell, so you need to beware of finds found at crossroads. The more beautiful the comb looks, the more likely it is that negativity has been cast on it.
Lose
Losing a comb is a bad omen. Intrigues are woven around a person, gossip is spread. If she is lost, you should be very careful not to tell others about your problems. It is possible that among them there are ill-wishers who are planning to implement insidious plans. The information they received will come in handy.
Break
According to signs, breaking a comb is considered a bad sign. These unpleasant events are interpreted as follows:
- teeth often break off - problems with hair will arise;
- more than three teeth break off - trouble is coming;
- the comb breaks in half - soon the person will be undeservedly accused of something bad. It is possible that you will have to bear responsibility for an act that was not committed. It is also possible that problems will arise at work, conflicts with loved ones.
You should absolutely not comb your hair with a damaged comb, otherwise numerous troubles will result.
How landfills are made
In the end, let's return to the main topic and talk specifically about landfills. Before preparing this material, I asked some friends and acquaintances what they knew about landfills. To summarize, the answers boiled down to the fact that the garbage was simply piled up in a mountain and that’s all. This is partly true, but there are some subtleties and the landfill is not as simple as it seems.
Before dumping waste anywhere, a special infrastructure is built. For example, several administrative buildings, such as a watchman’s house and a checkpoint, plus a road must be built, since trucks will drive up to the landfill one after another. To do this, you must make a paved road.
Garbage is delivered to the landfill without stopping. Car after car... Car after car... day and night.
In parallel with this, a large pit is being built. Its size is determined by calculation, taking into account that this volume should be enough for 10-20 years of use. At the same time, the bottom and walls of the pit are covered with a meter-long layer of clay or several layers of plastic film. This is necessary to prevent contaminated water from entering the soil. In most cases, before construction, work is carried out to study the geological situation. The extent to which the landfill may affect groundwater or nearby flora and fauna is being investigated.
The pit is not filled entirely, but with cells, which are also covered with layers of insulation. At the same time, pipes and other systems are being laid to remove landfill gas. If it is planned to install equipment for processing this gas, additional necessary infrastructure is built. For example, boiler rooms or other facilities.
Once the pit is full, it is covered with a thick layer of clay, soil or film to completely seal it off. Grass is planted on top and work with the landfill, from the point of view of storing waste, ends. After this, the correct existence of the landfill is monitored and gas emissions are monitored. By the way, for the first 2-3 months, mainly only carbon dioxide is released. After this, methane and other gases gradually begin to be released. The release continues for 40-70 years, gradually fading away, starting approximately from the 20th year of the landfill's existence.
The air in the landfill is constantly studied and analyzed
Of course, all of the above applies to landfills that are made in accordance with the standards for the construction of such facilities. There are also illegal landfills, but that, as they say, is a completely different story.
Types of combs and combs
The magic of the comb also depended on what material it was made of. Previously, combs were made from wood, bone and stone. Natural materials are conductors of positive energy. Only aspen, poplar, and willow wood should not be used for combs. On the contrary, they take energy.
But bone ridges can calm and drive away fears. Rowan combs will curb resentment and sharpen intuition. Apples and pears will help if you are overcome by chronic fatigue. After a serious illness, oak combs were mainly used. The cherry comb will protect you from energetic influences. It will also increase the tone of the body.
Promising waste management methods
All waste management methods currently being studied come down to proactive methods. That is, to the development of materials that can be easily recycled. There is also serious agitation for separate waste collection, which should also be carried out to simplify further processing. But there are more fantastic ways that some experts suggest.
One of these options was to take debris into space and send it towards the Sun. At one time this theory was very popular and many said that this is exactly what should be done. Now this option has begun to leave the heads of such waste management specialists, although previously they were not embarrassed by even the simplest arguments.
Sending garbage into space is not a good idea
It is clear that these are approximate data, but according to the Internet, putting one kilogram of cargo into orbit costs from $2,000. That means it costs about $8,000-$10,000 to ship the average user's trash can. I think the issue can be closed. Especially considering the environmental damage that spaceships cause.
As you can see, discarded food is not as harmless as it seems. On the one hand, it decomposes, but on the scale of megacities this becomes a real problem. Of course, you can’t help but throw away, for example, banana skins or chicken bones, but you should be more judicious about products that are bought and then simply thrown away. There you can save not only an environmental resource, but also your money by not buying products in order to throw them away.
Signs and superstitions
It is believed that cut hair should not be thrown away, since along with it a person gets rid of his vital energy. Hair also contains information about a person that ill-wishers can use. With the help of hair, black magicians are able to damage their owner.
In ancient times, men and women rarely cut their hair; this way of life existed thanks to the belief in the ability of hair to accumulate the strength of its owner, being part of his single biofield, so girls always had long braids, and men never shaved their beards
Another belief says that a hair caught on the street can be carried away by a bird. If she makes a nest out of hair, then the person will suffer from constant headaches, and problems with the condition of the hair will also begin. In addition, hair lying on the street will be crossed by a crowd of people, which can also cause severe migraines in its owner.
In Ancient Rus', hair was called “cosmos”, as it was believed that it connected a person with the cosmos and higher powers. That is why our ancestors cut their hair extremely rarely - so as not to lose touch with the gods.
There is a superstition that says you should not throw your hair into an open water source. After all, sorcerers are capable of performing a black ritual even by a hair's breadth floating down a river.
