Willful irresponsibility.  Pathetic stewardship of the earth and its people.  I could go on and on.  There MUST be a better answer.  We can do better than this!!!  What I saw when I lived in Chicago was mind-boggling.  Many people have become increasingly wasteful and hedonistic.  I am so glad I live out here where I can make/grow more of my own food together with KSBoy.  Between the chickens, the dogs, the cats, and the compost pile, everything that can, gets recycled.  And many people in the area here do the same.  Finally I am among more like-minded people than I was before.