Toward a Waste Free Society
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle. The EPA’s "waste hierarchy" has long been part of environmental consciousness. Those three words describe our waste management strategy at the household and community level. With a little help from creative new ideas and technologies, and a smart balance of all three strategies, we can work toward a day when our society is effectively waste free.
The Economics of Trash
In the age of the Interwebs, instant gratification is so much easier to come by. Today practically anything we want is just a mouse click and a couple of shipping days away. Considerable environmental costs, of course, are a major side effect of fulfilling all of our whims and fancies. Waste management strategies are a necessary part of dealing with our ravenous consumption.
American Trash
If your town has single stream recycling, you’re probably doing most of the work of reducing your household waste already. It’s tough to reduce waste further without first knowing where it comes from. And shouldn’t we also be curious about where it goes once it’s put on the truck?
The Little Engine That Could
Thousands of people and companies have discovered a great way to decrease emissions and save money at the same time. There doesn’t have to be a tradeoff between protecting the earth and enjoying cheap, convenient travel and commerce. Rail travel and shipping are very obvious ways to decrease the environmental impact of our way of life without new economic costs…
