On the Value of Land

99.9% of the time, there’s nothing spectacular about the surface beneath your feet. Dirt, grass, laminate, concrete—whatever you’re standing above right now, we’re willing to bet you wouldn’t give it a second thought unless you were reading this sentence.

But the truth is, it’s well worth that second thought. And perhaps many thoughts more: Whether it’s housing or farmland, land usage is an area ripe for debate across the United States and around the globe, but there’s no disputing that our landfill space is shrinking by the day.

Our neighbors to the west toss more than $150 million in recyclables into their landfills each year, with nearly half of their landfills nearing capacity. It’s a trend that applies to most of the country, and one that contributes to higher taxes on the average waste producer.

(Mind you, some of the tax structures and incentives implemented in places like the UK and Ireland have seen tremendous success in shifting disposal habits, diverting as much as 80% of potential landfill material.)

Land has never been more valuable. And while single-use products, non-biodegradable materials and misplaced recycling are obvious culprits of the landfill crisis, there are plenty of other places to point the finger: For one, there are only so many places we can even put a landfill. 

Too close to an airport? Scavenger birds may appear and interrupt plane traffic.

Too close to a floodplain? It all washes into the water supply.

Too close to a playground? Gross, obviously.

Landfills, at their core, are designed to contain rather than return themselves to the earth. With some estimates putting us at less than 100 years of landfill space remaining, it’s high time for some answers.

The simplest is compost. And barring good recycling practices, it’s the answer you can tackle most easily right from your home or business.

Here at Crown Town, we’re doing our part to help resolve the land crisis in the most straightforward way possible: leaving more of it to the earth. We can help you do your part, too: Explore our services and see what makes the most sense for your eating and disposal habits. 

Even a bin every other week can make a measurable difference in our community and the planet at large.