כי-תצור אל-עיר ימים רבים להלחם עליה לתפשה לא-תשחית
את-עצה לנדח עליו גרזן כי ממנו תאכל ואתו לא תכרת כי האדם
עץ השדה לבא מפניך במצור. דברים כ:י"ט

People have strange attitudes towards waste.

Despite the many cries of concern, the visible resources on our planet do not seem to be dwindling. There seems to be enough for all, and apparently this will continue. Most people seem to ignore the dire predictions about mass starvation, drought, and plagues.

Bal Tashchit, the Jewish regulation forbidding waste, does not seem to concern the man in the street.

Of course, this concern about waste does not affect all walks of life. In some spheres, people are still concerned. They include tzedakah and ma'aser.

You can learn a great deal about human nature by observing people's actions. Watch the way people on a bus react to things that drop from their hands, purses, or pockets. They do not always bother to pick up coins or objects. They may not know whether the coin they dropped had a large or a small value, and they may not bother to find out. If somebody returns the coin to them, they may smile and accept it graciously. Again, they may put it in their pockets without checking its denomination.

Watch how people deal with change from a cashier or a vending machine. They may put it in their pockets without checking it.

Waste from meals (now there's a classic case of bal tashchit) seems to be quite unimportant. This waste affects (or perhaps starts in the home), and then extends to parties, weddings, restaurants, and other get-togethers.

Most of all, watch how people are willing to waste the money of others. Employees waste their employer's supplies. Guests at a wedding waste food. It happens all the time.

No, these observations were not accompanied by empirical research. However, it is likely that you have observed the same phenomena. Those who waste money, products, and services undoubtedly do reflect a large segment of our society.

It's sad.

Because our resources are dwindling.