Anglo-Saxon Boast

Problem-Solution Essay

Trash Talk: Finding a More Effective Solution to the Growing Garbage Problem

Every year, Americans generate more than 251 million tons of garbage (Richman 522). This means that each person in the United States generates more than 4.5 pounds of trash every single day (Lerner, 522). This is a lot of waste. Fortunately, there are facilities which arte equipped to recycle much of this waste, making it available for reuse. Unfortunately, much of the recyclable material is thrown away and wasted. According to Lerner’s Environmental Science: In Context, recycling rates in the United States were at only 10 percent as recently as the late 1980s (694). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the rate as of 2006 was 32.5 percent (Richman 522). While this rise in recycling is encouraging, and has certainly aided in the containment of trash, there are still 162,648,000 tons of trash which are not recycled annually. The question as to how to properly deal with this waste quickly arises. Some of this garbage is burned at extremely high temperatures in incineration facilities, but only about 12 percent, according to the EPA (Richman 522). These facilities are expensive; especially considering that such a small percent of garbage is disposed of through them. The only other major method of disposal currently is burying waste in landfills. In the United States, there are 1,754 approved landfills (Richman 522). Fifty-five percent of waste is buried in these landfills, accounting for more than 138 million tons annually (Richman 522). These options are not sufficient for long-term disposal.
The use of landfills, the method by which a majority of garbage is disposed of, is not a sustainable means of removal. According to Allied Waste Industries’ 2006 Annual Report, the average operating life of a landfill is about 38 years (7). After this time, the landfills will have to be closed, and others would have to be opened in order to accommodate newly generated garbage. There is simply not enough space to continue this process indefinitely. In addition to concerns about the practicality of continuing to extensively use landfills, there are concerns about the environmental impact landfills can have. There were regulations put in place by the United States government in 1991 in an effort to minimize negative effects of landfills, however, many sites were exempted from these regulations, and many more were established before the regulations were enacted (Eldridge 11). Modern landfills are required to have plastic linings, which protect surrounding soil and groundwater from potentially hazardous liquid. These linings, however, can tear and leak, violating the protective barrier (Richman 522). One major concern related to these linings deals with leachate, the substance created when a landfill encounters precipitation and the water mixes with waste that has broken down into liquid (Eldridge 12). Leachate is thinner than liquid waste alone, and therefore it is easier for this substance to leak into surrounding land. This poses a major threat to soil and water around landfills, which in turn poses a major threat to the integrity of crops and drinking water (Eldridge 12). America cannot afford to continue to rely on landfills as the premier waste disposal method.
One solution which would help reduce America’s dependence on landfills would be to improve on existing, more preferable systems. As previously mentioned, incineration is responsible for the disposal of 12 percent of American waste (Richman 522). This number could be greatly increased with changes to the process. There are some who do not agree with using incineration as a major form of disposal. This is because the ash would still need to be stored, and so minimal use of landfills would still be necessary. Also, others are concerned with air pollution from incineration facilities. These arguments are not substantial reasons to discontinue the use of incineration, however, because landfill usage would be greatly reduced and less hazardous, and all forms of waste disposal carry some risk of pollution. In order to improve the incineration process, first of all, incineration facilities would have to be more cost-effective. This is not difficult to achieve. A typical incineration facility can dispose of 550 tons of waste per day. The process also generates about 16 megawatts of electricity. Two to three megawatts would be used to power the plant, but the other thirteen or fourteen could be sold to surrounding areas, meaning that over time, much of the cost could be recovered (Freedman 2267).
Another system which could be improved upon as an alternative to landfills is the recycling system. Recycling accounts for the second highest percentage of waste disposal in America (Richman 522). The current problem with recycling is that it is often inconvenient and confusing (Evans 109). Also, there are concerns about the energy it takes for a recycling facility to operate (Lerner 693). A solution to the trouble concerning the confusion associated with recycling would be to send out informational brochures to community members educating people as to what to recycle and how. These brochures may not be the most preferable way to get information out, as many people would not have the time or interest enough to read it, however, it would be the most cost-effective method for cities. As far as inconvenience to recyclers, communities could offer incentives for recycling. A simple and effective incentive could be tax cuts or garbage fee waivers. San Francisco has a very efficient recycling program which helps to recoup energy costs by not breaking glass containers, which means that the fragments do not end up in recycled paper, meaning that the paper can be sold for more money (Richman 523). This model could be the inspiration for other programs concerned with energy costs of recycling.
The trash problem in the United States is growing, with more trash being generated per capita every year (Richman 522). A more sustainable method of disposal must be implemented. The solution which maximizes benefits and minimizes cost is that of improving the incineration process. With improvements, the process is self-sustaining and has little impact on the environment in comparison to other methods. This would be especially beneficial if an improved incineration system were used in conjunction with an improved recycling system. Recyclables could be made reusable while non-recyclables could be disposed of in the least invasive way possible. It is important that Americans understand the problems with the current disposal system, and that swift action to improve the process is taken.

Works Cited


Eldridge, Audrey. "Landfills: Impact on Groundwater." Water: Science and Issues. Ed. E. Julius Dasch. Vol. 3. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2003. 11-14. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Feb. 2010

Freedman, Bill. "Incineration." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 4th ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2008. 2266-2269. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Feb. 2010.

"Nonhazardous Materials Recovery—Recycling and Composting." The Environment: A Revolution in Attitudes. Kim Masters Evans. Detroit: Gale, 2008. 105-117. Information Plus Reference Series. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Feb. 2010.

"Recycling." Environmental Science: In Context. Ed. Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee Lerner. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2009. 693-698. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Feb. 2010.

Richman, Vita. "Landfill." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 3rd ed. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 2269-2273. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 7 Feb. 2010.

Anglo-Saxon Riddle

Black portals darken a viewer’s world
Dual-purposed; fashion and protection
Wide windows to the world
Light-shield and vision-guard

Journal 11: Themes and Techniques

Themes which are present in both Anglo-Saxon poems and heroic narratives like Beowulf include ideas of bravery and loyalty. Beowulf was loyal to his men and to his country. He was brave enough to travel to a foreign land and to engage in battle with a monster which seemed undefeatable. He did not cower in the face of danger. The sailor in the “The Seafarer” bravely travelled the seas. He was loyal to his faith, and held out hope that he would one day see heaven. Techniques that the literary forms have in common include alliterations and kennings. “Beowulf” used more of these literary devices than the other poems, especially kennings, but there was a certain presence of these techniques throughout the works.

Journal 10: Literary Devices in Caedmon's Hymn and Beowulf

“Caedmon’s Hymn” and “Beowulf” have very similar literary qualities. Both texts use alliterative phrases extensively. In “Caedmon’s Hymn”, Caedmon sings praises to God, and this song is where he uses the majority of the literary elements. Some of the alliterations include “The majesty of his might and his mind’s wisdom”, and also “Work of the world-warden, worker of all wonders”. Some alliterations in “Beowulf” include “smear torn scraps of our skin on the walls”, and “Brecca’s battles were never so bold”. Another literary device that both texts use is the kenning. “Caedmon’s Hymn” uses far less kennings than “Beowulf”. “Beowulf” uses kennings such as a “battle-flasher” for a sword or a “ring-giver” for a king. Many things are described in this fashion. In “Caedmon’s Hymn”, the only kenning really used describes God. There are other descriptive phrases, but the only kenning described God as a “world-warden”.

Journal 9: Anglo-Saxon Ideals

An important aspect and respected quality in the Anglo-Saxon society was loyalty. This bond was especially important between a lord and retainer. When a member of this society was separated from he to whom they were loyal, it was evident in their demeanor. “The Seafarer” and “The Wife’s Lament” both display an idea of loyalty and tragedy of separation. In “The Wife’s Lament”, the wife is consistently mourning her separation from her husband, her lord. She is loyal to him even in her exile. Her loyalty brings her much more grief, as she cannot be with him. In “The Seafarer”, the sailor is weary of being separated from civilization, and his distress is evident. He also longs to be with God, his Lord, in heaven. His loyalty to this belief brings him the only hope he has.

Journal 8: Comparison of Elegies

The elegies “The Seafarer” and “The Wife’s Lament” were very similar in many ways. In both works, the narrator has been cast out of society for some untold reason. Neither are particularly content with their predicament. In “The Seafarer”, the narrator is resigned to his fate and simply waits for his life to end so that he can experience Heaven. In “The Wife’s Lament”, however, the narrator seems more bitter about her station. She has not reached a point where she can accept what has happened to her. The narrator in “The Seafarer” longs for Heaven, whereas the narrator in “The Wife’s Lament” longs only for her husband. The sailor seems to have more hope, whereas the wife seems to see only despair. In both cases, their loneliness is a major focal point of their lives.

Journal 7: Motifs in Anglo-Saxon Literature

There are certain motifs which appear throughout various works of literature. One literary work which is saturated with the motifs of faith and destiny is “A History of the English Church & People”. In this work, Caedmon is given a gift by God. At the beginning of his life, he was unable to sing and was uneasy with performing in public. One night, however, he has a dream in which he is asked to sing about Creation. In his song, he uses beautiful lines to praise God. He goes to the abbess of the monastery and it is decided that he ahs been given a gift from God. The abbess is “delighted that God had given such grace to the man, and advised him to abandon secular life and adopt the monastic state”. He becomes a monk and spends the rest of his life writing praises to God. He was given this gift in order to devote his life to using it for the glory of God.
“The Seafarer” is another work which uses motifs to articulate a meaning. The motifs in “The Seafarer” include suffering and faith. The sailor seems to have a desire to go back to land, the things of everyday life at sea not comparing to the things of everyday life on land. Instead of laughter, he says there is a “death-noise of birds”, and instead of mead, there is only the mewing of the gulls. He is alone with his misery and the sea. The only positive point in this is that while his earthly life is tragic and lonely, he holds out hope for Heaven, knowing that it will be a much better place. He says that “Our thoughts should turn to where our home is, Consider the ways of coming there, then strive for sure permission for us to rise to that eternal joy, that life born in the love of God and the hope of Heaven.”
The motifs in “The Wife’s Lament” were longing and loneliness. The reason is not specifically stated, but the wife has been sent to exile by some dishonest scheme. She longs to be back with her husband. She is living in a forest, away from civilization. She mourns for her losses, saying “The absence of my lord comes sharply to me. Dear lovers in this world lie in their beds, while I alone at crack of dawn must walk under the oak-tree round this earthy cave...” This shows how alone she feels without her husband, as well as how remorseful she is about her new dwellings.

Journal 6: Analysis of Grendel's Mother

In the epic poem “Beowulf”, Grendel was a monster who terrorized an innocent village. The great warrior Beowulf sails to the land in order to aid the victims. When he defeats Grendel, there is an air of celebration. He who represented evil had been conquered. What the people did not understand, however, was that while Grendel was a merciless killer, he was not their biggest enemy. His mother, fiercer and mightier by far, was a much larger threat to the community. The death of her son incited her anger and provoked another reign of terror on the Danes. Grendel’s mother represents a much larger form of evil, though she seems to have very human qualities.
Grendel’s mother lived in the same slimy, dank cave as her son. Her scales were impenetrable by men’s swords. She, like her son, was a bloodthirsty killer who delighted in feeding on human flesh. As she crept through the darkness in which she dwelled, her scales would scrape the ground with a terrible noise. The scent of death followed wherever she went. Her teeth were stained with the blood of her victims, and in her breath one could almost hear their mournful whispers. Her claws were sharp and as strong as steel. She could effortlessly grip a victim or weapon and her grasp was firm. Though her strength was powerful and her ability awe-inspiring, Grendel’s mother has traits that make her seem familiar, even pitiable. Though she was hungry for flesh and driven by bloodlust, she did not attack the peaceful village which was sitting unprepared. She did not terrorize the innocent community like her son did. These actions did not begin until after the death of her son. Is a mother whose only son was brutally murdered, deserving or otherwise, to be expected not to retaliate when her foe is so easily defeated? Any human mother would be tempted to do the same. She restrained herself from the village until, in her eyes, the villagers attacked her son. She may not have known about his ravages, or may have seen the death of her son as a more treacherous act than the killings of mere warriors. She was driven mad with grief over seeing her son fatally wounded and having no way to save him. The only avengement she saw was revenge on those who caused her son

Journal 5: Analysis of Grendel

Grendel, a monster from the poem “Beowulf”, is a self-indulging menace whose bloodlust leads him to his death. Grendel terrorizes a group of Danes, killing them in their sleep. He placed a spell on their weapons which rendered them practically defenseless. Their only option was to flee. Their once-joyful mead-hall was now deserted. Grendel is an inherently evil creature. He makes his home in the moors, a dank and slimy place which is representative of his character. He is driven by his greed to kill the warriors of Herot. He is so bloodthirsty that there is no end in sight. There is no way to quench his desire. He simply continued to wage war on the Danes, causing destruction and death.
Grendel was so fierce and relentless that everyone who heard of his ravages feared him. He caused dread and panic in those in the area. The warriors who saw the destruction caused in the mead-hall fled to survive. Hrothgar, their king, was distraught and sorrowful for the twelve years that Herot stood empty. The situation seemed to be hopeless. Grendel was impossibly strong and seemingly undefeatable. Those who acted in courage were slaughtered mercilessly, until Beowulf heard of the predicament and decided to go to battle Grendel. He was still aware of the danger, and made arrangements in case he should not survive. There were doubts that he would be able to defeat such a mighty foe. Even some of the Geats fell victim to Grendel’s initial attack. It was not until Grendel attacked Beowulf that his warpath was slowed.
In the poem “Beowulf”, Grendel represents evil. He is a picture of a demon, and his mother is representative of Satan. In the beginning of the poem Grendel is described as having been “conceived by a pair of those monsters born of Cain, murderous creatures banished by God.” This refers to the belief that all evil things are offspring of Cain, who killed his brother Abel. Grendel terrorizes the joyful Danes, as a demon would threaten mankind. The poem repeatedly refers to Grendel as a demon, among other things, with the first reference being “So Hrothgar’s men lived happy in his hall, Till the monster stirred, that demon, that fiend, Grendel…”. Before Grendel’s attacks, the Danes did not seem to be troubled, but after he begins his terror, they are downcast and fearful. Grendel is not bound by any moral code, and seems to answer only to his lust, and perhaps his mother.

Journal 4: Values and Themes Represented by Beowulf

Beowulf represents different values of Anglo-Saxon society. In his boast, he shows how important pride was to the Anglo-Saxons. What would possibly be called egotism today and looked down upon was then respected. He bragged of his own accomplishments and his audience was captivated and admiring. He was brave enough to travel a long and tumultuous journey in order to battle a monster which was no threat to him or his people directly. Because of his loyalty, Beowulf felt a responsibility to repay his father’s debt. This dedication is another quality which was important to the Anglo-Saxons. One of Beowulf’s most notable qualities is his courage. He fights with honor and does not ever retreat. He does not hide from death, but simply accepts it as a possibility and makes necessary preparations. Brute strength is another trait which earned Beowulf respect in that culture.

These characteristics can allow readers to understand the ideals of the Anglo-Saxon society. They can also convey traits which appear in the heroes of numerous other cultures as well. Confidence is universally admired in a hero, though perhaps not to the extent of Beowulf’s self-promoting speech. Loyalty is a trait respected in many cultures, and especially loyalty to one’s family or countrymen. Beowulf’s courage was another trait that is respected in different cultures. Strength is also a typical heroic trait across cultures. A hero is usually pictured as having great strength and ability. These themes are recognized in various tales from nearly every culture spanning hundreds of years. Many of these ideas were prevalent even in ancient mythology. The traits are universal enough to also be applicable to modern-day heroes, and there is little doubt that the heroes of the future will still possess many of these qualities