Matter also behaves according to the principle of conservation of matter: Under ordinary circumstances, matter is neither created nor destroyed but rather is recycled over and over again. It can be transformed or recombined, but it doesn’t disappear; everything goes somewhere. Some of the molecules that make up your body probably contain atoms that once were part of the body of a dinosaur and most certainly were part of many smaller prehistoric organisms, as chemical elements have been used and reused by living organisms.
How does this principle apply to human relationships with the biosphere? In affluent societies, we use natural resources to produce an incredible amount of “disposable” consumer goods. If everything goes somewhere, where do the things we dispose of go after the garbage truck leaves? As the sheer amount of “disposed-of stuff ” increases, we are having greater problems finding places to put it. Ultimately, there is no “away” where we can throw things we don’t want anymore.
W. & M. Cunningham, Principles of Environmental Sciences
Hani 