Something of a news flash:  There is gold in our trash. (Someone bolder than I might have written “them thar trash” but I’ll stick with “our”.)

One hundred years from now, our descendants may scratch their heads and wonder how we could have been so benighted, how we could have been so waste-full and not known the value of it all.

After all, we saw what waste could do in Back to the Future.  Throwing away trash, the by-product of things used, is like throwing away molasses, the by-product of sugar refined. It is dark and rich and full of energy; something to be used and sold and enjoyed.

Who knows but the landfills that dot the outskirts of our cities might be the greatest legacy we could be leaving our children.

Which is important, because of the latest news coming out this first week of a new decade.

The world population is set to hit 7 billion sometime later this year.

The price of oil is beginning to skyrocket once again, threatening economic recovery and the ability of the less-advantaged to meet their daily needs.

With all these environmental and economic pressures, we can no longer afford the concept of waste. Nature doesn’t have it. We are part of nature. Therefore we shouldn’t have it either.

Recycling our cans, papers and food is just the beginning. Appropriately and intentionally reusing, returning, recycling everything should be the norm. Things should be designed from the very start to be returned, reused, recycled.

Qantas, the airline of Australia, gets it. They have just announced that they will be creating bio-fuel for their jets from trash. And they are not alone.

Europe and China are pulling ahead of America in the green R&D sector. Sadly, America will become an economic laggard unless we vigorously promote research and implementation of cutting edge environmental and energy technologies. We need that to protect not only the earth but our standard of living, our standing in the world and our national security.

Now is not the time to be timid.

The 112th Congress opens today.

The 428th session of the Maryland General Assembly starts January 12th.

Weigh in. Make your voices heard.

Locally, check in with the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.

Nationally, take your pick of organizations. If you need a place to start, check out the Natural Resources Defense Council.

We need you.