Waste to Energy Field Trip

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While at the Waste to Energy facility I leaned a lot of cool and interesting facts. Prior to going on the field trip, I had no idea where our trash went.
Pictured to the left is a full view picture of what the facility looks like and how it is run. Each day 120,000 tons of yard waste is processed at the facility. A majority of it is balance ground up mulch/compost mixed with bio-solids.
One of the most contaminated things, that is often recycled is plastic bags. Most people are unaware of the effects that plastic has when it comes to protecting the environment. There are 4 R's that were discussed on the field trip. Those R's include REDUCE<REUSE<RECYCLE<RECOVER. Listed below is the Waste to Energy's definition of the four R's and what we can do to follow the four R's.
Reduce- Make smarter choices about what to consume
Resuse- Repair, share, sell, barter, buy second hand
Recycle- Learn about your local recycling program and place only appropriate items in your curbside bin
Recover- Recognize your waste for the resource that is and dispose of it properly

Five of the main fuels from the facility include coal, natural gas, nuclear, diesel, and fuel oil. 
We discussed a lot about the renewable alternatives. Those include hydroelectirc, solar and wind, and waste. Each day 5 loads from Labelle and Clewiston are delievered, these are considred to be transfer stations. Covanta has partnered with Lee County since 1992. 
Pictured to the above, is a picture inside of the control room. "Sustainability professionals often guide sustainability planning in the organizations where they work." This is where the operator spends most of their time, to make sure everything is running smoothly. This can often be a very tedious job, that requires alot of training.







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