The processes of living, eating, working, playing, and dying all utilize consumer products whose production and use generate wastes. Living in the contemporary world implies producing garbage. The waste generated by human groups has always existed, but its presence, as an environmental problem, is a recent phenomenon. This has two main roots: human expansion that is expressed in the occupation, exploitation, and predominance of the species in practically all ecosystems of the planet, and the logic of industrial-capitalist production-consumption.

According to a report from the World Bank, it is estimated that the global generation of waste in 2016 reached 2010 million tons. In Mexico the generation of waste was 53.1 million tons, the daily per capita generation reached 1.2 kilograms on average. Of the waste that is generated, more than 50% is organic, a large part of which originates from food loss and waste; the first occurs during the production, storage and distribution of food products; the second, when the food consumed is thrown away.

An integrated waste management plan is needed and it must follow the life cycle of consumer products from cradle to grave, seeking to maximize the useful life of the resources that are involved. Although there are many ways to handle waste, most are reaction strategies. The first step should always be prevention: reducing waste.

Waste is very varied, so different strategies are required for each one. The ideal is to focus efforts on those wastes that predominate. In the case of Mexico, the strategies should focus on reducing organic waste. This can be accomplished in several ways:

-          Reduction at the source: Reduce the volume of food generated in excess.

-          Construction of better roads, use of more efficient vehicles for transportation, etc.

-          Consumption of products from local markets, so transport costs are avoided, which implies that the product will be consumed more immediately.

-          Recovery of food in good condition but not marketable: by delivering to food banks, shelters, etc.

-          Recovery of organic waste as animal feed.

-          Compost: as it promotes higher yields of agricultural crops; can help aid reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts by improving contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils; enhances water retention in soils; and provides carbon sequestration.

It would also be important to educate society to be more aware of it and recognize that to help the planet, even small actions matter.

Bibliography: Kaza  S;  Yao, LC;  Bhada-Tata,  P; &  Van  Woerden,  F.  2018 What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050. World Bank Publications. Washington, EUA. 272 pp.