COLLEGE APP - can i be considered a leader
Hi I'm a non-native English speaker who is writing essays for college application. My writing can be sloppy and lack in flavor but I am sincerely looking for a lot of help from here! Hope you have fun reading my essay and I will welcome any comments or feedbacks! :) Have a nice day every one.
Prompt: Write a formal, academic essay in which you imagine that you are in a position of leadership in your country or your local community (note that while many leaders who effect change are politicians, they can also be scholars, activists, scientists, artists, etc.) Choose an issue about which you, as this leader, feel passionately and describe it in detail, giving your informed reader a sense of the arguments and counterarguments associated with the issue. Tell us where you stand and why, using description and analysis of real-world evidence as well as your unique perspective as an influential member of your community. Hypothetically, how would you address this issue and what would your community or country look like as a result of your actions? Please be as specific as possible and limit your response to 500-750 word
The Naameh landfill has been in use for 17 years prior to 2015. It was only expected to be used for 6 years and has culminated 13 million more tons of waste than it's expected 2 million. When the residents of Naameh protested against the use of the landfill and it's proximity to their homes, it finally closed down.
In 2015, following the closure of the Naameh landfill, the streets of the Lebanese capital started piling up with trash. The government authorities failed to implement a sustainable solution to the problem and thus began the "Lebanese Trash Crisis".
This eventually led to demonstrations held around the country by Lebanese activists under the slogan "You Stink" to protest the negligence of the government towards this problem. About 90% of Lebanon's solid waste is made up of materials that could be composted or recycled, yet only 17% of the 1.57 million tons of waste that Lebanon produces in a year (with an annual growth rate of 1.65%) is recycled or composted, whereas the remaining 83% goes to landfills or disposed of in dumps.
Temporary solutions that the government found were to create new landfills, more specifically in Costa Brava and Bourj Hammoud. The waste disposed of in these locations is a threat to public safety and the health of the citizens. Near the airport is located the Costa Brava site, which attracts birds that became a threat to planes and therefore a public endangerment. At the Bourj Hammoud site, trucks would throw out the trash in the Mediterranean sea, endangering the fauna and the flora, as well as raise problems for the fishermen and beachgoers.
It is undeniable that many civilians have been affected by the crisis. Therefore, I, as the Minister of the Interior, will bring about the necessary measures to deal with such an issue.
To begin with, incineration is an effective, yet harmful solution to the issue. The problem with the incinerators is that, when not properly maintained, they will produce immense levels of pollution. In an experiment that the American University of Beirut (AUB) held about Lebanese air quality, if the government placed an incinerator near Beirut, the fumes would cover a large portion of the city and most of the residents in the capital would be affected by the materials released by these incinerators.
With an annual growth rate of 1.65%, the 1.57 million tons of garbage will undoubtedly pose more significant problems than they do today, in spite of the temporary measures placed. A tax on how much garbage a household can produce can be implemented as a way to reduce waste. The taxes can then be collected to fund environmentally friendly projects or towards recycling projects.
Having lived in the U.A.E., most of the trash I produced goes into different piles (such as papers, cans and plastic). I believe that recycling will not only decrease the load that Lebanon's landfills have to handle daily, but it will also make the country more environmentally conscious.
Another possible solution is to export the trash. Countries such as Sweden and Norway are importing trash because they've run out of it. Much of the trash never ends up in a landfill in these countries because it can either be recycled or used to generate electricity. Sweden and Norway even approached Lebanon to buy the garbage. However, the Lebanese government was undecided on how to divide the money received.
Many people are living in fear of contracting respiratory illnesses from the omnipresent waste, as well as the long-term health impact on them and their children. Living in a country that respects the health and environmental rights of its citizens is mandatory and should not be overlooked. As Minister of the Interior, it is a major issue that I would work on solving.