The study of objects that people regularly throw away can be of some interest to sociologists, historians, and even archeologists who may study the life of a certain community. In this way, one can better understand the lifestyles of people, their socioeconomic status, and their values. The goal of this paper is to show how this information can be derived and what kind of assumptions can be made. On the whole, it is possible to say that this approach can help researchers to make some conjectures about the life of the community and separate individuals. Nevertheless, these conjectures should be verified with the help of other research techniques, and they cannot be taken for granted. These are the main aspects that be singled out.
First of all, by studying the refuse, researchers can better understand the purchasing power of separate individuals and households. It should be noted that relatively similar products may have different prices, and they can be designed for people who represent different social classes.
This argument is relevant if one speaks about clothing, food, alcoholic beverages, and many other items that can vary in prices. This is why by looking at the packaging that a person can dispose of, one can make predictions about his/her socioeconomic status. Furthermore, this approach is useful for determining the lifestyles of people. For example, if the refuse contains many bottles of alcoholic beverages, one can say that this individual does not lead a healthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, this is only an assumption that required additional verification. The problem is that one cannot always determine whether the litter belongs to the same individual or not. This is one of the limitations that should be considered.
There are cases when one can determine whether the refuse was disposed of by a family, including several individuals or by a single household. For instance, one can sometimes detect the bottles of baby food in the refuse. Thus, it is possible to assume that a household includes a child and a parent or a legal guardian. However, in most cases, one cannot accurately estimate the number of people within a household judging only from the refuse. Such assumptions can be very far-fetched. This is one of the details that should not be overlooked.
Additionally, the study of litter can give people a better idea about the political and economic system developed in a particular country. For instance, a researcher can detect that similar products can be sold by different manufacturers. As a rule, this information can be derived through the examination of bottles and packaging. Thus, one can make a conjecture that economic competition is allowed in this society. In turn, one can argue that this community can be based on capitalistic principles. Moreover, it is possible to say that this society is relatively advanced, especially in comparison with the states in which the government controls the economy.
Still, this assumption should be supported by other types of data. Additionally, in many cases, the packaging can be made of biodegradable materials such as cardboard or corn starch. Thus, it is possible to assume that people living in this community can be aware of various environmental risks, and they take measures in order to reduce the pollution of nature. These are the main issues that should not be overlooked.
On the whole, this discussion suggests the study of refuse can be a productive method for understanding various social, economic, and even political aspects of society. Admittedly, one cannot say that the findings derived in this way should be verified. Nevertheless, they can be used as a starting point for further research. These are the main details that can be identified.
The list of objects that were thrown away
- Bottles of energy drinks and alcoholic beverages;
- Paper and green waste;
- Biodegradable packaging;
- Light bulbs;
- Cans.