Trash Tale: Uncovering the Environmental Toll of Waste

Once upon a time, there lived Humans who produced Waste…  This is a modern story in a book of the future folklore. Sadly, it looks like waste will be our most fundamental legacy for the future generations - and our most devastating ecological footprint. The environmental  damage caused by waste already hides in plain sight, and its long-term harm is yet to be witnessed. Like evil in children’s books, waste has to be conquered and destroyed - by reducing, sorting and recycling. But for now, trash tends to be winning in the epic battle between sustainable practices of waste management and a daily habit of careless disposal. 

NULLKER’s TRASH TALE

The story of waste can be told in many different ways. The one chosen by Nullker and Olga Kornilova is a photo-narrative full of allegories and contrasts. 

Please be informed that the given photo session involved cooperation with eco-responsible clothes brands and was followed up by a cleanup organized by one of the waste management projects that we represent.

This is how Olga Kornilova, the creative photo artist behind this project, reflects on it: “My inspiration stems from a deep connection to nature. As an outdoor photographer living in Cyprus, I frequently travel to various photoshoot locations. Recently, I've noticed a troubling trend - a significant amount of rubbish being discarded in these natural settings. This realization has fueled my determination to spotlight the crucial importance of nature conservation.”

“Trash Tale” is a visual narrative that exposes the impact of littering and boldly confronts this issue, employing an exquisite blend of photography and videography to expose the devastating consequences of spontaneous dumping. Through a series of poignant visual narratives, "Trash Tale" unveils the jarring juxtaposition between the elegance of fashion-clad individuals and the unsightly heaps of discarded waste mar the Cypriot landscape. Plastic bottles, electronic devices, fabric, and non-biodegradable materials form a jarring backdrop to these stylish figures, creating a heartbreaking and thought-provoking composition. Each photograph within "Trash Tale" is a stark reminder of the burdensome impact of human negligence on our environment. The project's evocative imagery compels viewers to confront the harsh reality of how our actions desecrate nature's beauty, underscoring the urgent need for responsible waste management and a collective shift toward sustainable practices. 

The project's overarching message is one of urgent collective action. By igniting a sense of commitment and responsibility, "Trash Tale" encourages individuals and communities to embrace waste reduction, proper disposal practices, and advocacy for policies protecting our precious ecosystems. It is a call to action, a transformative force that seeks to reshape perspectives, incite action, and cultivate a shared commitment to preserving our planet for future generations. 

Now, looking at these eloquent images that juxtapose the glamorous looks and gore trash sites, you may wonder about the whole story that stands behind. It is the story of unreasonable consumption and careless disposal that contributes to one of the biggest problems of the anthropogenic era - waste!

THE PROBLEM OF WASTE IN CYPRUS

As cliche as this claim may sound, the problem starts with… us, people.

As humans claim the land and resources, they also generate an ecological footprint that may be too hard for Cyprus to bear. A huge part of this footprint is garbage. A logical question arises: Where does waste go on an island? The answer is pretty dire. All the growing amounts of trash produced by the cities of Cyprus go straight to the landfills. 

Gündem newspaper recently labeled Cyprus ‘A beautiful terrain plagued by waste’. 

Here are a few eloquent statistics. In Cyprus, the municipal waste production per capita reached 609 kg in 2021, one of the highest in the EU. In 2020 alone, Cyprus produced 543,000 tons of solid waste. The average Cypriot household trashes 23% of its weekly purchases in food.

Unfortunately, waste in Cyprus has no economic value in comparison to waste in other (often larger, continental) countries where people collect garbage and sell it to be processed by special facilities or exchange it for other raw materials. In Cyprus, trash just keeps accumulating in landfill, poisoning the soil and harming wildlife. Carried by the winds and rains, some of this waste eventually leaves the ground and ends up in the sea, creating marine pollution.

HOW THE TRASH TALE ENDS DEPENDS ON…

The success of the waste management effort depends largely on the actions of the citizens of Cyprus. The problem originates in the daily lives of Cypriots; hence, it should be addressed at its root. Once everyone on the island starts to sort their household waste for recycling, collect organic waste for composting, and stops buying food, clothes and household items in surplus to their needs and trashing them, the problem will solve itself. In essence, it is a matter of personal green thinking and conscious disposal. Personal effort multiplied by the number of people in Cyprus equals great collective results! According to DOM Live, reusing 1 ton of glass saves energy equivalent to burning 135 liters of petrol; a ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees; and recycling 1 aluminum can saves enough energy to watch TV for an hour.

The second level has to do with the economic aspect and governmental action. Cyprus needs to find its niche in the circular economy, i.e., sort waste and turn it into resources. Nullker has gathered some optimistic statistics in this regard. Of the 462,000 tons of garbage disposed of in Cyprus in 2020, 18.3% was recycled, 1.2% was used for compost purposes, and 1.7% was used for energy recovery. In 2021, a total of 29,727 tons of trash was treated in Cyprus: 12,514 tons of PMD, 9,889 tons of paper, and 5,963 tons of glass were recycled. Also, thanks to awareness and information campaigns held, 88 % of people in Cyprus believe it is necessary to recycle waste and are ready to comply with the new standards. All of the above is good news that can change the future of Cyprus for the better.

THE END

In our Trash Tale, the end is, in fact, a new beginning. Once people start to care deeply about the journey of trash that starts at their households and ends in nature, the whole story of the island will change. In this story, finding a long-term solution to the waste issue will become everyone’s “happily-ever-after”, and the glam-gore visuals created by Olga Kornilova will serve as the future generations’ only documentary reminder that the problem of waste ever existed in Cyprus!