Small Changes, Big Impact

Recycling is broken. We’ve always been taught “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” but recycling is not the answer. The global recycling system is off the rails, and most people are completely unaware.

Previously, about half of the world’s plastic was being sent to China where recyclables were turned into new products. Last year, China drastically cut back on the recyclables they’ll accept. Understandably, they don’t want to be the garbage dumpster of the world. It’s estimated that China’s ban on imported recyclables will leave 111 million metric tons of trash from around the world with nowhere to go by 2030! 😧

Waste-management companies are struggling with the lack of a recycling market. Towns, cities and counties have to pay to recycle, in some places as much as $200 per ton to recycle vs. $30 to bury in a landfill. Many places can no longer afford to recycle at all! Recyclables are often sent to the landfill or incinerated, with the exception of tin and aluminum which are still recyclable in the US.

The majority of people “wish-cycle” 💭♻️ tossing items in the blue bin to make them feel less guilty about consuming and disposing of goods without really knowing what’s recyclable. Many types of plastic can’t be recycled, and those that are recyclable can only be recycled a handful of times. On top of that, about 25% of what ends up in the blue bins is contaminated (not clean enough, not recyclable, etc.)

So what can we do?

1️⃣ Reduce! Buying less is one of the best ways we can combat this problem. Plastic is prevalent and convenient. Avoiding it takes work, but a little extra effort and preparation goes a long way.

2️⃣ Reuse! You’ll be surprised to realize how much you already have, and how little you actually need.

3️⃣ Refuse! Refuse plastic: straws, water bottles, coffee cups and lids, take-out containers, travel sized products, plastic bags, produce bags, plastic packaging, plastic wrap, etc.

I’ve created a long list of simple swaps you can make to reduce your footprint and help the environment. Whether you want to go full-on plastic-free, or just start making small swaps, I found it helpful to have some guidance along the way. You can download it here 💚

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