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The reason you often see images like this in third world countries, but not in first world countries, is that third world countries dump a lot of their trash in

The reason you often see images like this in third world countries, but not in first world countries, is that third world countries dump a lot of their trash in waterways/the ocean compared to first world countries. Maybe you already know this, but I think a lot of people see images like this as evidence of the first world fucking over the third world when it's really a local problem.

ricardobeat 8y ago
He said nothing about third vs first world. The impact of consumerism is the same everywhere.
- PeterisP 8y ago
  Well, no, the impact of consumerism is not the same everywhere - the first world has much more consumerism, but less environmental impact due to higher standards and regulations. In many senses having an unpolluted local environment is a luxury good that many poorer communities "don't purchase" - i.e. a richer community would choose cleaner air while a poorer community would choose less restrictions on factories because they need these jobs; a richer community would implement proper wastewater treatment because they can afford to divert their resources to that infrastructure, while a poorer community would do without because they choose to spend their resources on more important things they're lacking.
  - massysett 8y ago
    The first world’s consumer goods come from the third world, and the first world trash gets “recycled” in the third world. First world is just exporting its environmental damage to the third world—and does it in a way that makes it look like it’s the third world’s fault.
    - baroffoos 8y ago
      Its also typical to look at a first world country with a low population and say they aren't the problem because india and china pollute way more without thinking about the fact that india and china pollute far far less per person than the people in first world countries.
blackoil 8y ago
And, 1st world countries dump their trash in 3rd world countries. Also, they ignore that there 1st world status is fueled by unsustainable development over last couple of centuries.
- massivecali 8y ago
  What third world company do we dump our trash in? AFAIK we sell it to them.
  - baroffoos 8y ago
    Recently these countries have blocked the import of the trash because it absolutely destroys these countries. The "recycling" companies buy in mountains of trash, pick out a few bits that are profitable and dump the rest somewhere. Currently only a tiny part of recyclables actually gets recycled or downcycled because the rest is cheaper to pull fresh resources out of the ground.
  - rohit2412 8y ago
    Yes, not only the western countries dump it in developing countries, they get money for it.
  - throwaway_9168 8y ago
    >> AFAIK we sell it to them That implies there are other buyers who are happy to pay money to take it, doesn't it? That doesn't seem to be happening though: https://qz.com/117151/us-states-banned-from-exporting-their-trash-to-china-are-drowning-in-plastic/ https://qz.com/117151/us-states-banned-from-exporting-their-... I suppose some countries agree to take the trash in return for some kind of economic favor from the US?
swayvil 8y ago
consider ocean currents

ricardobeat 8y ago

He said nothing about third vs first world. The impact of consumerism is the same everywhere.

PeterisP 8y ago
Well, no, the impact of consumerism is not the same everywhere - the first world has much more consumerism, but less environmental impact due to higher standards and regulations. In many senses having an unpolluted local environment is a luxury good that many poorer communities "don't purchase" - i.e. a richer community would choose cleaner air while a poorer community would choose less restrictions on factories because they need these jobs; a richer community would implement proper wastewater treatment because they can afford to divert their resources to that infrastructure, while a poorer community would do without because they choose to spend their resources on more important things they're lacking.
- massysett 8y ago
  The first world’s consumer goods come from the third world, and the first world trash gets “recycled” in the third world. First world is just exporting its environmental damage to the third world—and does it in a way that makes it look like it’s the third world’s fault.
  - baroffoos 8y ago
    Its also typical to look at a first world country with a low population and say they aren't the problem because india and china pollute way more without thinking about the fact that india and china pollute far far less per person than the people in first world countries.

blackoil 8y ago

And, 1st world countries dump their trash in 3rd world countries. Also, they ignore that there 1st world status is fueled by unsustainable development over last couple of centuries.

massivecali 8y ago
What third world company do we dump our trash in? AFAIK we sell it to them.
- baroffoos 8y ago
  Recently these countries have blocked the import of the trash because it absolutely destroys these countries. The "recycling" companies buy in mountains of trash, pick out a few bits that are profitable and dump the rest somewhere. Currently only a tiny part of recyclables actually gets recycled or downcycled because the rest is cheaper to pull fresh resources out of the ground.
- rohit2412 8y ago
  Yes, not only the western countries dump it in developing countries, they get money for it.
- throwaway_9168 8y ago
  >> AFAIK we sell it to them That implies there are other buyers who are happy to pay money to take it, doesn't it? That doesn't seem to be happening though: https://qz.com/117151/us-states-banned-from-exporting-their-trash-to-china-are-drowning-in-plastic/ https://qz.com/117151/us-states-banned-from-exporting-their-... I suppose some countries agree to take the trash in return for some kind of economic favor from the US?

swayvil 8y ago

consider ocean currents