Think outer space is a clean environment? Think again. On November 20, The New York Daily News reported that a BBC report showed that the surface of the moon is actually littered with trash:

“Apparently the moon is an out-of-this-world garbage receptacle.

According to a BBC story, a British-led group wants to embed photos, text and videos below the moon’s surface during a trip to outer space — but it’s already riddled with trash, and even the remnants of vomit.

According to the article, “The Moon is already strewn with rubbish — exploration has left its surface dotted with everything from abandoned modules to golf balls to a bag of vomit from Apollo 11.”

NASA keeps a list of all human detritus that has been left on the moon, including tongs, golf balls and a “defecation collection device,” according to the organization’s official website.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty requires that those who fly into space avoid “harmful contamination” of the moon and other celestial objects, but there are no rules about littering, according to the BBC.

Experts say explorers should use discretion when visiting the moon — and not leave their debris there.

“I applaud the goals of creating enthusiasm and joy in space exploration and the inspiring of the next generation of space scientists,” said Margaret McLean of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at UC Santa Clara.

“But likely environmental damage and lunar litter is too high a price to pay.” “

Interestingly, as the article notes, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty that governs the moon doesn’t have rules about garbage or waste removal. The reporter quips that, “So littering all over the moon is not only American, but okay in the eyes of the law.”

To make matters worse, according to a Washington Post reporter, “a British group called Lunar Mission One has launched a Kickstarter campaign to dump more trash on the moon bury a lovely time-capsule just under the surface of the moon’s south pole via unmanned drilling robot. It’s part “Armageddon,” part “National Treasure,” part “Red Planet,” says the Post.

The story goes on to share some details of the Kickstarter campaign: “This is your chance to be part of Lunar Mission One and to reserve your place in space,” the group writes on its Kickstarter page. “Your pledge will reserve you a digital memory box that will be buried in the moon during the mission as part of a 21st Century time capsule,” the article reports, going on to note that “the campaign so far has raised £292,684 (about $458,000) of its £600,000 goal from more than 3,000 backers, and has 26 days left.”

The Post follows up with “a brief, non-comprehensive overview of the garb that this Kickstarter garb will call neighbors if it successfully reaches the moon, according to NASA:”

• Bags of urine
• Bags of vomit
• A few of those Space Cadillacs
• Golf balls
• Empty food containers
• Wet wipes
• “Defecation Collection Device”
• Color Chart (?)
• “Boots, lunar, pro” (The Air Force Ones of space travel, probably)
• Towels (both red and blue, for cool space style)
• Tissue dispenser
• Nail clippers

“When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator,” Mahatma Gandhi is thought to have said of the wonders in our solar backyard, the Post reporter aptly quotes.

What do you think of the current state of the moon-as-garbage-receptacle?

From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, household waste increases by more than 25 percent! Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons—it all adds up.  And it’s not just trash. The average American spends $800 on gifts over the holiday season. With a little thought, you can reduce, reuse and recycle during the holidays to give the environment the precious gift of less while saving yourself time, money and stress.

Here are some ways you can reduce holiday waste:

• Thousands of paper and plastic shopping bags end up in landfills every year. Reduce the number of bags thrown out by bringing reusable cloth bags for holiday gift shopping. Tell store clerks you don’t need a bag for small or oversized purchases.

• Send recycled-content greeting cards to reduce the amount of virgin paper used during the holidays. Remember to recycle any paper cards you receive. You can also try sending electronic greeting cards to reduce paper waste.

• Turn off or unplug holiday lights during the day. Doing so will not only save energy, but will also help your lights last longer.

• Approximately 33 million live Christmas trees are sold in North America every year. After the holidays, look for ways to recycle your tree instead of sending it to a landfill. Check with your community solid waste department and find out if they collect and mulch trees. Your town might be able to use chippings from mulched trees for hiking trails and beachfront erosion barriers.

• To help prevent waste from cutting down and disposing of live trees, you can buy a potted tree and plant it after the holidays.

• Have a create-your-own-decorations party! Invite family and friends to create and use holiday decorations such as ornaments made from old greeting cards or cookie dough, garlands made from strung popcorn or cranberries, wreaths made from artificial greens and flowers, and potpourri made from kitchen spices such as cinnamon and cloves.

• Consider the durability of a product before you buy it as a gift. Cheaper, less durable items often wear out quickly, creating waste and costing you money.

• When buying gifts, check product labels to determine an item’s recyclability and whether it is made from recycled materials. Buying recycled encourages manufacturers to make more recycled-content products available.

• Shipping a gift? Reuse the foam peanuts from another package, or use unbuttered popcorn for packing. Return unwanted Styrofoam packing PEANUTS to local UPS Stores. Please call before delivering.

• About 40% of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. Buy rechargeable batteries to accompany your electronic gifts, and consider giving a battery charger as well. Rechargeable batteries reduce the amount of potentially harmful materials thrown away, and can save money in the long run.

• Giving the gift of an experience is a great option for children who want to give family gifts but don’t have the money or a way to buy them. Let children know that homemade gifts and gifts of their time are more valuable to you.