There’s a sign on Waste Management trucks that says, “Our landfills provide over 17,000 acres of wildlife habitat.” Since I didn’t realize a mountain of garbage could be considered a wildlife habitat, I thought it was a pretty bold claim. Would it be more accurate to say, “Our landfills provide over 17,000 acres of wildlife habitat. And we’ve completely destroyed 170,000?”
According to Waste Management:
“Modern landfills in the U.S. are a far cry from their predecessors, where trash was collected in pits on the outskirts of town. Compacted clay and a plastic liner are laid down to prevent groundwater contamination. Pipes collect methane gas, a highly potent greenhouse gas that forms while trash is decomposing. A covering or cap seals the top of the landfill, while a monitoring system provides data on methane gas levels and water quality.
Methane gas can be used to generate electricity or produce heat. Two Pine Landfill has a 4.8 megawatt facility that produces electricity for approximately 4,500 homes in North Little Rock, AR.“
Most Waste Management landfills have achieved certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council, an organization that seeks to protect native species and lands. WM has even partnered with the Audubon Society for certain projects. Who knew?
They even host tours and field trips for schools to teach people about environmental responsibility. Ah, a field trip to the landfill. Smells like habitat.
I pictured the landfill being a suitable habitat only for rats and scavenger birds, but apparently I was way off. There’s even one in the hills outside Livermore, where cattle graze and windmills generate renewable power. The site is also home to the area’s native foxes, squirrels, and owls.
So where’s all the garbage? I suppose that picture wouldn’t make for good PR.
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I actually toured the facility south of San Francisco in April. The coolest thing that they have is a project that involves two artists working on site and making art with only things they find in the garbage.
There is a place in Texas that has giraffes, zebras, etc. living on a landfill as well.
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