Consumption

Consumption

In the wake of the Season of Gluttony and Excess comes a timely and cautionary tale out of Naples, Italy. A few short days before Christmas it was announced that there was no room at the dump. With no place to put the southern region's waste, garbage collectors stopped picking up trash on December 21st. As of last Monday, an estimated 100,000 tonnes of trash had accumulated on streets throughout Italy's Campania region.

What's interesting about this story is that the current crisis didn't just happen. Officials have spent more than 14 years and approximately 2 billion euros (or about 3 billion dollars Canadian) looking for a solution to its growing garbage problem. A massive new garbage incinerator scheduled for completion at the end of 2007 is still not ready. Meanwhile, the reeking piles of rotting waste continue to mount, moving the crisis from one of gross political mismanagement to a very clear and present health danger. Continue reading the whole article on the Gaianicity website, then return to post a comment. Comment: Make sure you watch the video The Story of Stuff