Your trash talking tuesday tip: Or else!
April Fools.
Your trash talking tuesday tip, see the movie, “Trashed”
Do you ever think about what the world will look like when you reach your golden years? I think for all of us, the answer can be found in the question. We see a golden time. We see what we want to see.
But what if, just what if, the next time you take your garbage to the curb, you think about where that bag goes once it leaves your home. What if you were to think about the barrels of petroleum that power our cars and make the fertilizer that grows our crops. What about all the paper coffee cups that are used once and discarded (about a billion a day). What if we think about where that disposable plastic bag goes after we bring our stuff back from the store and throw it out? The future stops looking golden, and quick.
At my place of work, the city’s department of the environment, this reality, this future, is all to real. And today, even we had a wake up call. My coworkers and I attended a screening of the documentary film “Trashed,” narrated by Jeremy Irons. The film covered the state of the wastes-tream, worldwide. Moreover, it noted the incredible and unusual changes of the last 50 years that have markedly changed our relationship with waste- the advent of plastics and their affects on our environment and our health.
The future (and present) is grim, folks. A particularly low moment came for me when Harrisburg, PA, not far from my childhood home, was called out for its problems with dealing with their waste-stream, putting particular focus on their incinerator and what using it has done to the local community. Mind you, Three Mile Island nuclear facility is not far away, and I have vivid memories of the famous meltdown there, too. Dioxins from the incinerator pose the more contemporary health threat, not to mention how it’s bankrupted the city. The film explores the problems of trash incineration in saddening detail.
But the film importantly points to actions that we can take to bend the curve back to balance. There was a cheer from the audience as the film shifted to San Francisco, and our progressive policies and actions to divert material from landfills to recycling and composting programs. Did you know that San Francisco diverts fully 80% of discarded material away from landfill to compost or recycling? And the aim is 100% by 2020. That’s right, no landfill by 2020. It can happen if we truly try.
One of my coworkers was interviewed by Irons in the movie and spoke eloquently about all these actions. A panel discussion followed the screening tonight and dove just a little deeper, as we searched to find ways to answer the call of the movie to stand up and demand action.
Sure the government can play a role by passing legislation. We’ve banned the plastic bag in San Francisco, and styrofoam foodservice packaging, too. Recycling and composting are mandatory for residents and businesses alike.
But there needs to be producer responsibility. Business and manufacturing need to produce products that are more easily recycled, and ones that consume less energy in being manufactured.
Above all, there needs to be a groundswell demand from the public for change. Everything we throw away is a choice, and so is everything we keep. What about addressing our behavior around consumption? What about avoiding single use, convenience packaging? Why not reuse containers and bags? Why not build a sharing economy? Why not demand every municipality have a composting program? Why not eliminate the harmful chemicals that already are poisoning our land and water. Decommission the incinerators.
This is what the movie inspired for me, but I encourage you to check it out. Find more at the following website. Link to the movie’s website: TRASHED – This is the story of garbage.
Think about what you throw away. Think about what you keep.
and Waste Nothing.
A Pep Talk from Kid President to You – YouTube
Because, “we’re all made to be AWESOME.”
Click here for A Pep Talk from Kid President to You – YouTube.
if you’re looking for a great gift idea. . .
Lots of ideas for a great gift (round up below) and if you’re looking for a fun afternoon of browsing, check out the Renegade Craft fair today if you’re in San Francsico, LA, Chicago, NYC or London. We’ re not huge fans of large retailers for gifts. We prefer giving (and receiving) something unique, handmade and best of all, local. Those gifts have heart. They might even be green. Keep your eyes peeled for artisans who explore REUSE in making their items rather than using virgin materials. Maybe they’re using recycled materials, too. How about food products, grown and packaged locally? If your vendor is local, you can be assured the carbon footprint in distribution is low.
So follow the link and learn more about the fair and if you can’t go, look for local artisans in your community… San Francisco Holiday Info « Renegade Craft Fair.
Here are some other ideas for you San Francisco folks:
Letter Press stationary, handmade cards and screen print dish cloths by
ink.paper.plate Press or Coffee n Cream Press
Beautiful hand cut wooden products, like cutting boards, stools, etc:
Local Honey grown by the busy bees at Hayes Valley Farm
HONEY!! **
(**note, this is a the last year for Hayes Valley Farm and their project, Project BEE – Cause. Get the last jar of honey from this amazing experiment in permaculture!)
Give a *Reusable bag* filled with *reusable stainless steel mug* and colorful *microfiber cloths*, make yourself a little gift that speaks Green; )
Support local certified SF Green Business , and baker, Mission Pie. Supporting them you’ll also be supporting their outreach to inner city kids, teaching them how to farm.
Get a basket of baked goods at our favorite bakery, Thorough Bread and Pastry. Supporting them supports the students of the San Francisco bread making institute.
Get some cheese to go with that bread: La Fromagerie (2425 3rd Street, SF). They have raw milk cheese!
And jars of amazing peanut brittle or handmade marshmallows at Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous.
your trash-talking tuesday tip: when trash becomes art
When we saw this inspirational video, we had to share it:
Landfill Harmonic film teaser on Vimeo on Vimeo
via Landfill Harmonic film teaser on Vimeo.
“People realize that we shouldn’t throw away trash carelessly well, we shouldn’t throw away people, either”
Waste nothing.
Your Trash Talking Tuesday Tip: Take the Recyclewhere.org Challenge!
Batteries, couches, rags, …..mannequins? no matter what you want to get rid of, Recyclewhere.org can help. We all have stuff. And if you can call something ‘stuff’, it’s something that is otherwise unclassifiable and as such, probably something that you don’t need. Type in anything (time to name your ‘STUFF’) and give Recyclewhere.org try. We waste a lot of energy tending to the STUFF in our lives. Now is the time to get rid of your STUFF.
Recyclewhere.org reinforces the zero waste ethos that boils down to the following:
Reduce, then Reuse, then recycle.
Reduce your consumption, and get rid of what you don’t need in your home and in your life. If it can be reused, Recyclewhere.org will tell you how. And if it can’t be reused, recycling and safe disposal are the next best options.
See how this tool can make an impact in your home. Simplify your life and get rid of the stuff in it. And, join my coworkers and me in a RecycleWhere challenge. How much stuff can you get rid of in the next 31 days?
Use RecycleWhere to find the best recycling and reuse options!
Waste nothing.
Your Trash Talking Tuesday tip: Recycle your Clothes
Your Trash Talking Tuesday tip:
Check out the infographic and the link below for some amazing factoids. For instance, did you know the average T-Shirt wastes 700 Gallons of water during manufacturing alone? and one pound of textiles emits more than 7 pounds of CO2!
Textile waste creates pollution and wastes precious resources so before you throw your clothes in landfill bin, consider donating, selling or recycling them.
Waste nothing.
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Your Trash Talking Tuesday Tip: Green Your Black Friday! | sfenvironment.org – Our Home. Our City. Our Planet
Giving is good. But giving green is better.
Buying something that is new, whether for yourself or someone else, comes at a cost- the energy consumed in making it, transporting it, and delivering it. Why not have a net zero holiday this year? Shop vintage, antique, second-hand, and give an existing item a new life. Alternatively, make something. Grow something. Donate something. You’ll be giving from the heart, and using items you already have on hand. Check out the article below for many handy, thoughtful tips to kicking off your holiday shopping season in a sustainable way. Green your Black Friday.
Waste nothing.
Courtesy SF Environment:
Black Friday kicks off the season of giving. As you check off your list, here are a few tips you can keep in mind to make your Black Friday (and the rest of the holiday season) a little greener.
Before you head out, consider taking public transportation.
Why sit in traffic and worry about parking when you can take public transit? You can treat yourself with the money and time saved from driving and parking. Plan your trip with 511 Transit>
Remember to bring your own bag.
In San Francisco, you will save ten cents every time you swap a reusable bag for a disposable one. Find out more about the new checkout bag ordinance>
Not all gifts need to come in a box; give your loved ones an experience.
Avoid extra packaging and give a gift that will be remembered forever. Some of our favorite gift ideas include: concert tickets, art or dance classes, a car sharing membership, or even a gift to charity. For low budget experiences you can gift your own time by making dinner, babysitting, washing a car, or cleaning out a garage or attic. Visit RecycleWhere to find out how and where to recycle, reuse, or dispose of anything, anywhere>
The perfect gift can be found in an unexpected place. You can find something unique at an antique store or a flea market, or even a nursery.
Avoid the hustle and bustle of the mall and peruse antique stores, consignment shops, and flea markets for one of a kind gifts. Seeds and potted plants are gifts that last all year, and help clean our air.
When it’s time to wrap your gifts, look for paper that is made from post-consumer recycled content, or better yet look around the house for even more unique options.
Why buy new wrapping paper when you can make your own? Kids’ drawings, old maps, newspaper comics, and even cloth can make your gift stand out. Stop by a creative reuse store like SCRAP to get even more creative. An SF Environment favorite is to make one gift into two by wrapping your gift in a reusable bag!
via Green Your Black Friday! | sfenvironment.org – Our Home. Our City. Our Planet.
your trash talking tuesday tip: Think Diversion
Your Trash Talking Tuesday tip:
Think diversion, aim for zero waste. Currently, San Francisco diverts 80 percent of all discarded materials away from landfill through source reduction, creative reuse, recycling, and composting. San Francisco’s zero waste programs, in partnership with Recology, helped San Francisco become Greenest City in North America in 2011 and by 2020, that goal is 100%.
Government can play a valuable role in achieving zero waste through the infrastructure it provides. But even if your city doesn’t have these programs in place, what can you do?
Reuse rather than dispose, take your own bags to the supermarket, take your own mug or thermos to the coffee shop, use reusable containers rather than sandwich bags for lunch, find a way to give a ‘second’ life to items rather than throwing them away, donate unused items to a good cause and of course, recycle what you can. Compost in your backyard. With a little thought and creativity, you’d be surprised how much you can reduce what you send to landfill.
Consume less.
Waste nothing.
For the full story, check out the following article on SFEnvironment.org
Your Trash Talking Tuesday tip: Don’t waste your vote.
Your Trash Talking Tuesday tip:
Don’t waste your vote!
Vote today if you haven’t already.
Waste nothing.
your trash talking tuesday tip: Brought to you by Mitt Romney
Your Trash Talking Tuesday tip:
Nobody can talk trash like Mitt Romney, so today’s installment of Trash Talk is devoted to exclusively to him. Unwilling to let Fact get in the way of his run for the White House, he’s willing to mislead and lie in order to drum up a few more votes. Look no further than the ad he’s just run in Ohio, excoriating Obama for taking Detroit carmakers into Bankruptcy.
Thanks to the Washington Post factcheckers for giving that ad four Pinocchio’s for the fibs contained in that little ad.
Don’t waste your vote on Romney.
Waste Nothing.
4 Pinocchios for Mitt Romney’s misleading ad on Chrysler and China – The Washington Post.
Your Trash Talking Tuesday Tip: What’s wrong here?
Your Trash Talking Tuesday tip:
What’s wrong with this picture? This is the blue recycling bin and it’s for recyclable hard plastics, paper, glass and aluminum cans- NOT PLASTIC BAGS. Plastic film of any kind does NOT go in the Blue Bin. That means no plastic bags, celophane, plastic wrappers, shrink wrap, cling wrap and the like. Bags and film ruin the recycling machines and cost your city up to a million dollars a year in repairs. Take your plastic bags and films to your local grocery store where there are special collection points for bag recycling. Put BAGS where they belong, and recycle them in the right way…
waste nothing.
waste nothing!
Your trash talking tuesday tip: Not on the curb!
Don’t leave your trash on the curb. Break down your cardboard boxes and deposit them in the blue cart. Your garbage collector will be glad you did.
Waste nothing.
Your trash talking tuesday tip: Creative ReUse!
Your Tuesday Trash Talking tip:
Recycle and reuse your aluminum foil and other shiny bits- turn them into a suit and wear it at the Castro Street Fair!
your trash talking tuesday tip, good clean fun
If you want to know how to make your event zeeeeeeero waste, talk to Folsom Street Events. They run one of the cleanest events in town!
waste nothing.
Judge upholds S.F.’s plastic bag law, clears way for ban, 10-cent charge starting Oct. 1 | sfenvironment.org – Our Home. Our City. Our Planet
The case is: Save the Plastic Bag Coalition v. City and County of San Francisco et al., San Francisco Superior Court, Case Number CPF-12-511978. (“yes Virginia, there really is a “Save the Plastic Bag Coalition”!)
Want That in a Bag? It’s Going to Cost You – WSJ.com
“In San Francisco, “we just want to reduce the amount of single-use plastic bags out there,” says Jack Macy, Commercial Zero Waste Coordinator for the San Francisco Department of the Environment. “If a 10-cent fee can serve as a disincentive to consumers who go to the store expecting to get a new set of plastic bags each time, then these rules will be doing their job.”
Restaurants are exempt from the new rules until next year, and noncompliant plastic bags will remain acceptable for certain items, such as bulk candy and deli meats. Food-stamp recipients won’t be charged the 10-cent fee, according to the ordinance.”
The quotation above couches the issue well. I know Jack and worked with him and his team on the development of the collateral for this campaign and can tell you, he’s a helluva good guy. A lot of thought went into this move, and it’s good legislation….
no more plastic bags, San Francisco
at least 10 cents for your checkout bag in SF
SF: avoid the charge, BRING YOUR BAG.
your trash talking tuesday tip, no more plastic bags! (bring your own bag)
poster for San Francisco store owners, to educate the customer about the plastic bag ban
Fact: Plastic checkout bags weren’t available when I was a kid, and that was fine. Good wrap-up of the plastic bag issue, here.
Fact: There’s a patch of garbage hundreds of miles wide swirling in the Pacific, and another one like it the Atlantic. Both are full of plastic bags.
Fact: Plastic bags damage some recycling equipment. San Jose, CA reports spending $1 million annually on repairs to equipment jammed from plastic bag contamination. Read more.
San Francisco is ready to say “good-bye” to plastic checkout bags. On October 1st, 2012, the Checkout Bag Ordinance will extend the ban on one-time use, disposable plastic bags, which currently covers large grocery store chains and pharmacies. The ban will now extend to include to all shops in the city. The ordinance will also impose a fee: the customer will have to pay at least 10 cents for any checkout bag the store provides (and those bags will now be made of paper or compostable material, only).
Where does the money go?
The 10 cents goes to the shop owner, not to the city. For more information, check out the city website.
Above all, the city wants to promote reuse, so you can avoid the charge (and minimize trash) in the following way:
Bring Your Own Bag!
Waste nothing.
Here’s another great resource on the plastic bag problem.
Governments that have already banned the plastic bag:
Coastal North Carolina
Santa Cruz, CA
West Hollywood, CA
Portland, OR
Washington, D.C.
Ireland
Mexico City, Mexico
Delhi, India
Rwanda
Bangladesh
Floating London airport proposal by Gensler
“Providing a further endorsement to the Thames Estuary as the preferred location for London’s new airport, Gensler have designed a unique solution creating an entirely new approach to modern airport design and construction with a clear focus on convenience and accessibility.
The proposals also envisage a new future for Heathrow as the largest urban expansion project in Europe with the development of an eco city – Heathrow Gardens – on the former airfield that can utilise the existing infrastructure to provide additional homes for 300,000 people and employment for over 200,000.”
CLICK:
Your Trash Talking Tuesday Tip: compost your supper
I was amazed by how much compostable stuff can be generated after making just one supper. Here you’ll see I filled nearly half a grocery bag after preparing and consuming one meal. So, save those scraps and put them to work. Put them in the Green Bin and divert them from wasting away in landfill. Waste nothing.
design for a half page ad: the SF Energy Map
SF Environment had a story to tell.
They needed a half page ad for an industry publication. In it, the Renewable Energy team wanted to highlight a useful tool available to residents of San Francisco, the SF Energy Map.
The SF Energy Map is a one-stop shop for information on how to install solar and wind in San Franciso.
Use the tool to:
• See all the solar/wind installations in your neighborhood
• Calculate your unique energy potential
• Find incentives and installers
• See how much you can save!
Visit the map:
sfenergymap.org
trash talking tuesdays: use your mug
. . . do you really want to use something only once before throwing it away?
63,000,000. That’s just one estimate of the number of disposable paper coffee cups consumed every day, …and that’s just in America.
Coffee sleeve designed to encourage using a mug rather than a paper cup for your morning coffee.
We want to divert as much as possible from the landfill via recycling and composting programs. That’s always true. So if you do have your coffee in a paper cup, please do put it in the green or blue bin. Yes, either one. But better yet, avoid generating waste at all. Just bring your own mug.
My client and I created the following design to spread the word on this point, and it was printed on recycled paper coffee sleeves throughout San Francisco, in the spring of 2012. We realized everyone has a favorite mug. . . why not use it? At first we thought there’d be push-back for advertising on the sleeve of the paper coffee cup that you should not use the paper coffee cup, but we received a lot of support from local business owners who frankly, would love to spend less on packaging. They also know first-hand the sheer volume of items that are thrown away.
Have your morning coffee. But consider bringing your own mug or tumbler. Waste nothing.
Did you know paper cups are made from virgin paper content and not recycled content? Did you know that even paper coffee cups are sprayed with plastic? Here’s a Link for more information about how the paper cups are made, and why not using them will benefit the environment.
trash talk tuesday, san francisco events strive for zero waste
In its fourth year, the San Francisco Street Food Festival has become an incredibly popular event. From 20th to 26th Streets, the most beautiful part of Folsom Street is shut down to cars to make room for around 100 food vendors, and 80,000 guests. Trash is a given. But thanks to the efforts of the event team La Cocina and their collaboration with Zero Waste experts at SF Environment, Recology , discarded material that would go to landfill is now diverted to compost and recycling channels. It’s great to see waste diversion front and center at local events, and great to see people participating in keeping this city clean and green. After all, almost nothing has to go to landfill, we have a viable alternative. Waste nothing.
Via Flickr:
at the 2012 San Francisco Street Food Fair on Folsom
Congratulations to them for striving to make this a zero waste event!
