Data visualisation experiment: the waste we produce…

I’ve just created this interactive map, based on Eurostat data, using Google Charts.

This is the amount of waste in kgs per capita we produced in 2011. It appears the Dutch are amongst the heavy-producers of the continent. On a yearly basis we produce nearly 600 kg(!!!) of waste per person! Notice how the average Estonian produces only half of that amount.

And the Danish… well…top ranks with 718 kg per person. One question that struck me though: do the Danes produce that much waste, or are they just the best in accounting for it? Or most honest?

Data source: EU municipal waste statistics per capita. The EU Eurostat website is an amazing source for datasets and visualizations. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_database

Tools used: Just a simple Google Spreadsheet (find it here). Google docs gives you access to the whole range of Google Charts, including Hans-Rosling-gapminder-style bubble projections.