When I started studying Environmental Engineering at Eduardo Mondlane University, I honestly didn’t expect waste to become such a meaningful topic, but now I realize it’s everywhere and how we deal with it says a lot about who we are as a society.
What We See…and What We Don’t
At first glance, it looks like a simple problem – collect the trash and take it away. But it’s not that easy. The garbage we see on the streets is just the tip of the iceberg. Behind it lies deeper issues: lack of environmental education, inefficient waste management, low recognition of informal workers and almost no sorting of waste at the source. All of this harms the environment, public health and even the dignity of our cities.
What I’ve Learned About Waste Management
In class, I’ve learned that solid waste management is more than just picking things up and throwing them away. It’s a process with multiple steps and important technical decisions, including:
- Reduce waste before it’s even created;
- Recycle what still has value;
- Treat what can’t be reused; and
- Dispose of what’s left, ideally in well-managed landfills.
It might sound simple on paper, but in practice it requires funding, planning and – most of all – political will.
What About Mozambique
The reality here is still difficult. Most waste ends up in open dumps, untreated. There’s very little recycling and composting is almost non-existent. But I’ve also seen signs of hope. Across campus, I’ve seen school composting projects, groups turning plastic waste into paving blocks, and local efforts to involve the community. These small contributions can, and will, contribute to a much wider impact.
My Place as a Student
I’m still not sure if I want to work with waste in the future. Sometimes I imagine myself working in renewable energy or water resources, but whatever path I take, I know this awareness will stay with me. A clean city starts with fair and thoughtful waste management, that involves engineers, but it is also the responsibility of every citizen.
What If We Just Started with the Basics?
Sorting waste at home, using fewer single-use plastics, valuing the people who collect and process our waste. We need to support local recycling ideas, no matter how small – it doesn’t have to be perfect, we just have to start.
Working with trash might not sound glamorous, but it’s actually the opposite. It’s about facing a problem that many people would rather ignore. It’s about protecting the environment, public health and our future. As a student, I’m still figuring out my place in all this but one thing I know for sure: how we handle waste says a lot about the kind of world we want to build.