Hurricane Harvey caused massive amounts of flooding. Houston and its surrounding areas were greatly impacted by the massive amounts of debris left as a result of the hurricane. Many of my friends and their families were impacted. I helped clean and move debris to the curb where it accumulated into large piles. As trash is removed from the neighborhoods, it is placed in large dumpsites. Many of the existing sites are full, so new temporary unauthorized sites are beginning to be used. These unauthorized sites are not permitted by the government. The article referenced here references two views. First, by skipping the permitting process there could be harmful effects to the environment such as reactions between different types of items due to lack of separation and water contamination. Second, the rapid cleanup of the debris in the neighborhoods could prevent other possible health hazards such as mold and rodents or snakes. It is difficult for people to have debris piled in their neighborhoods, and it could cause health hazards. However, piling all of the debris in unauthor ized locations could have more negative effects on the environment.

Source:  http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas … 222208.php

Houston has had three major floods and other various storms over the past three years. All of the debris, trash, and waste produced by these events could affect climate change as harmful waste by-products and chemical emmissions are released to the atmosphere.

The solution for this predicament simply comes from asking ourselves, "Is it worse to have unsanitary trash at unauthorized dumpsites or on the front lawn of houses all around the city?" My opinion is that placing trash in unauthorized dumpsites is the smarter choice. The buildup of trash in one big site is easier for the government to control than the scattered tons of trash all over the city in different types of neighborhoods. Climate Change has changed the life of Houston in the past in many different ways, for handling another glitch to the environment is a skill up our sleeves. Risking the health of now-homeless families will be a roaring conflict for health care and the reconstruction of our city. Trash in unauthorized sites seems to be the lesser evil in this situation.

I agree with Fernanda. The best option is to use unauthorized sites to hold debris and trash from flooded homes. Hurricane Harvey caused so much damage to so many people, and you can see that damage by the surprising amount of debris found numerous front lawns. But not only is that debris an eyesore, but it is also unsanitary, unhealthy, and full of bacteria. One of the main reasons why I believe that unauthorized sites are, for now, the best solution to this problem is because of the possibility of the debris and trash finding its way into a storm drain. Storm drains are meant to prevent neighborhoods from flooding. They take water and drain it into the ocean. If another rain storm or high-intensity wind were to knock any of the hazardous flooded trash from someone's front lawn into a storm drain, it would go straight into the ocean.

That is why I believe unauthorized dumpsites are a temporary necessity for a place to store trash. I also agree with the negatives of unauthorized dumpsites stated in previous posts, but in the meantime, they seem like the best option.

Re ad more about how unsanitary items going down storm drains pollute the ocean at https://dpw.lacounty.gov/prg/stormwater/page_01.cfm

I agree with Fernanda and Donna. The amount of debris and garbage piled up in front of neighborhood homes is honestly jaw-dropping. No one expected for the city of Houston to have this much debris to have to be taken care of. However, I feel it's best that the garbage be moved to the dumpsites (authorized or not). The debris includes wet sheet rock, insulation, and other various materials found in walls and flooring. These materials underwent major water damage and are breeding grounds for all kinds of mold and bacteria. Houston is also a city where rain is common, so having the garbage in front of homes would mean that the mold/bacteria would continue to grow in front of our own homes, which is a MAJOR health hazard. Even though the unauthorized sites could damage the environment, at least the trash (and all it brings with it) would be moved to a place that is not a place of residence.