1-21-18

Coffee capsule packaging creates about 966 million pounds of waste annually. So can’t we recycle the capsules? Sadly, not at the curbside. The outer cups of coffee capsules are made of plastic, so in theory, they are recyclable. However, the little cups are too small to be sorted properly by recycling facilities, so they end up in the trash. Also, the lid and filter of each cup are not recyclable — only the outer plastic cup. Coffee capsules need to be recycled through alternative programs, such as TerraCycle’s or Nespresso’s, in order to be processed correctly. However, for most of us, all of that extra work isn’t worth it.

Instead of using disposable capsules, try a reusable capsule like the EZ-Cup. It will work in your single-serve coffee machine with any kind of coffee, and it uses a biodegradable filter. Or consider a compostable single-serve capsule, such as the PurPod100.

You could also try a more traditional method of making your morning brew. For instance, French presses and espresso makers don’t require any single-use materials. Percolators or pour-over coffee kits, on the other hand, only require a coffee filter.

1-14-18

Is the winter cold giving you the blues? Don’t let it raise your heating bill — use these tips to reduce your energy use while keeping your home nice and toasty.

1. Insulate Your Windows

If you have single pane windows or have drafts sneaking in around them, try using a window insulator kit. By covering windows with a thin layer of plastic, you can seal off any cracks and add extra insulation.

2. Use Your Curtains

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, curtains can reduce heat loss from a room up to 10 percent. Close all of your curtains at night, and during the day, open curtains in rooms that receive direct sunlight.

3. Stop Door Drafts

If you can feel cold drafts coming in through the bottoms of any doors, use a door draft stopper. You can brace the bottom of the door with a rolled or folded-up rug, or purchase a stopper.

4. Turn Off Your Bathroom Exhaust Fan

Bathroom fans can help reduce moisture, but they also allow heat to escape. Use your fan minimally, and open the bathroom door after a shower to allow moisture to evaporate.

5. Program Your Thermostat

Use your thermostat strategically to save on heating costs. Try lowering your temperature setting by 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it can save you up to 10 percent on your heating bill.

For more tips on how to save energy at home, see How to Conduct a Home Energy Audit.

12-31-17

Christy Dawn Petersen, an LA-based dressmaker, has created a new kind of fashion line: dresses made only from leftover fabric. These fabric-scrap dresses, which run in limited editions, aren’t only saving fabric from the waste pile — they’re also selling out.

Fabric scraps abound in the fashion industry. Clothing manufacturers frequently purchase more fabric than they need in order to cut their patterns for each season, and the waste adds up. One report estimates that 400 billion square meters of fabric are wasted each year in the global apparel industry.

Petersen’s brand, Christy Dawn, is strongly focused on sustainability. In addition to how the dresses are made, they are delivered in wooden boxes instead of plastic bags. The company also offers employees a healthy work environment with fair wages and benefits. Read more from Forbes.

12-24-17

Recycle your Christmas tree curbside! Between December 26 and January 15, place your Christmas tree next to your cart for collection. Your service provider will remove the Christmas tree to be properly recycled.

Please note:

• All tinsel, metal ornaments and metal stands must be removed from the trees.
• If your tree is longer than six feet, it must be cut in half to be collected.

12-17-17

Those old cell phones you’ve been stashing in a desk drawer aren’t just taking up valuable storage space in your home, they’re also not so great for the planet. Cell phones contain valuable resources, including gold, silver, copper, zinc and platinum. The average American has two spare phones lying around, but when these languish in people’s homes instead of being recycled, new metals must be extracted from the ground to make new products — a resource-intensive process that could be avoided if unwanted cell phones were simply recycled, say the authors of a study in the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. And if these old phones end up in the landfill, not only will their parts and value be wasted, but lead and other heavy metals they contain will be able to leach into our soil and groundwater. According to the EPA, 70 percent of toxins in landfills are from electronic waste.

How much metal are we really talking about?

• Sims Recycling claims that Americans toss $60 million worth of gold and silver annually in the form of cell phones.
• In 2014, between April and June, iPhone sales accounted for the sale of more than 31,000 oz of gold — that adds up to over $39 million worth of gold thrown into circulation in just a few months, and doesn’t take any other precious metals into account.
• Business Insider estimates that Americans are sitting on $33.8 billion of unused cell phones.

When you look at it that way, it’s time to cash in on our resources.

What to Do With Your Old Phone

Fortunately, there’s an easy answer to this environmental problem: Clear out your drawers of old phones and recycle them. You can trade in your device for credit towards a new phone with your mobile carrier, sell it online, donate it to a charitable organization or recycle it with your other e-waste. Check out a full list of options in the recycling guide.

But there’s something more you can do to reduce the environmental impact of your cell phone use: Resist the urge to buy a new phone if there is nothing wrong with your current device. It’s easy to be seduced by new iPhone models and deals that come with contract renewals, but using your current phone as long as possible will prevent the unnecessary manufacture of new phones. That means fewer resources will need to be used all together.

12-3-2017

The average consumer spends nearly $1,000 dollars on gifts over the winter holidays. Not surprisingly, the holidays also generate more waste than any other time of year — as much as six million extra tons.

Many families have grown tired of holiday gift giving, saying that it’s wasteful, stressful and insincere to shop for a sizeable gift pile each year. But is it really possible to celebrate the winter holidays without giving gifts? According to some, yes — shifting the focus away from presents actually makes the holidays more enjoyable. Instead of spending money on gifts that are forgotten in a few weeks and eventually end up in a landfill, more families are choosing to spend their time and money on valuable experiences.

Here are some ideas on how to cut back on gifting without cutting back on sharing joy, appreciation and quality time with your loved ones:

• Eliminate gift giving for adults entirely, and allow only small, reasonable gifts for children.
• Make sure any physical gifts are useful, whether that means school and art supplies or consumable items such as food.
• Use gifts (or the holidays themselves) as an opportunity to create an experience, whether that’s a home-cooked meal, tickets to a special event, a hiking trip, traveling or some other form of quality time. Massages, heartfelt letters, craft projects and group adventures are also good ways to do this.
• Consider giving back to your community. Instead of spending a day opening presents, why not volunteer at a nearby soup kitchen? If you have children, have them pick out old toys to give to families in need so they can make room for their new toys.

Inviting friends or family over?

When you call or write out invitations, try saying, “Your presence is your present; no additional gifts are needed.” Or you might try something along the lines of, “No gifts, please, but cards are welcome.”

If you feel too uncomfortable eliminating gift-giving entirely, establish a gift exchange. If each person only brings and receives one gift, not only does it reduce the number of gifts overall, but it also gives each person more time and energy to invest in making the gift thoughtful. This way, the focus is less on quantity and more on quality. A gift exchange can also move the spotlight away from presents all together and direct it towards the time spent together instead. For inspiration on how to plan your own gift exchange, check out Real Simple’s list of 28 gift exchange ideas.

What if I still need to buy gifts?

If you are going to buy gifts, consider these questions:

• Why am I giving this particular gift?
• What value will the recipient find in my gift?
• Does the recipient need this gift?
• Is there a way that I could make the gift more meaningful for both of us?

When you take the time to answer these questions, you will use gifts to connect to those around you instead of to keep up appearances.

Shopping for fewer physical gifts each year can save you from spending time stressing over the latest presents and help you cut back on excess waste. It can also give you more energy to spend creating priceless memories with your loved ones.