Road to Zero Waste

By: Valerie Vines and Bailey Grimmett

It’s been more than a year since the City of Austin joined the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. Austinites and businesses have worked together to decrease the amount of plastic and other single-use items used each day. To that we say, “Kudos!”

Let's look beyond plastic straws and toward the year ahead. We found even m…

By: Andy Dawson

Each year, Americans throw away 9.4 million tons of electronics! Much of that waste turns up during, and immediately following, the holiday season. Out with the old, in with the new, right?

Electronics don’t seem to last long these days, especially when a new phone with a better camera and newer technology is released every six months. The EPA estimates that…

By: Bailey Grimmett

Once the holiday hustle and bustle slows down and the presents have been unwrapped, you’re somehow left with a mountain of excess materials such as cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, ribbon and bows, Styrofoam and other packaging materials. You’re not alone! In fact, the amount of trash produced in the United States increases an estimated 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day!  But, did you know tha…

By: Nolan Fleming

The Holidays are in full swing. Along with all the joy and merriment, they can also bring a lot of extra waste! In fact, the United States generates 25 percent more waste during the holiday season. Here are some ways you can put a freeze on the issue and spread some eco-friendly cheer.

Gifts

Think back on the Holidays last year and the gifts you received. How many of those gifts do you actually use to this day? The gifts that stand out to me have always been experiences or a story to share with friends and family. This year, consider giving the gift of a great story t…

By: Andy Dawson

Many people deep fry turkeys during the holiday season, leaving behind a lot of used cooking oil. But, what do you do with it afterwards? It can actually be dropped off for recycling!

The City of Austin’s Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center (RRDOC) collects more than 12,000 pounds of cooking oil and grease annually, as part of its house…

By: Bailey Grimmett

Thanksgiving brings together family, friends and communities. It also brings with it a lot of hungry guests, food and place settings. If you are scrambling to find reusable dishware for your holiday hosting, there’s a new service in town that’s here to help.

The Austin Dish Lending Library is a new, local service that provides Austin area residents with reusable alternatives to single-use dishes and utensils. What does that mean? Well, it’s exactly like a libr…

By: Ashley Pace

Most store-bought Halloween costumes cost $20-$60 per person and are made of cheap polyester materials that are thrown away after a single wear. Instead of going for the quick grab at the party store, consider these eek-o-friendly alternatives to save some green and give those costumes a second life.

1. Host a costume swap:  Whether in person or online, encourage your friends, family and neighbors to share their previ…

By Valerie Vines

Austin City Limits (ACL), the international music festival held at Zilker Park each October, does things big. Big-name headliners, crowds, stages and, potentially, a lot of waste. But thanks to efforts between festival planners and community partners, ACL is becoming a more sustainable event. Last year, ACL teamed up with Austin Materi…

By: Andy Dawson and Bailey Grimmett

If you haven’t heard, there’s a colorful way to reuse in Austin. The Diverting Resources for Artistic Works program (DRAW) is an Austin Resource Recovery service aimed at reusing and extending the lives of art supplies such as acrylic paints, canvases, brushes and related items. Located at the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center (RRDOC), and as an expansion of the center’s ReUse Store, DRAW is a resource aimed at offering barely-used art supplies to local residents in creative need.

The RRDOC collects all kinds…