Talking Trash

In this image, a lithium-ion battery sparked a garbage truck fire that closed a city street and put surrounding properties at risk in Bellevue, Washington. (Photo courtesy of Bellevue Police Department and U.S. EPA.) Lithium-ion batteries, found in many rechargeable...

Eating out or picking up a "to-go" order on the way home is handy, but you may find your fridge filled with restaurant leftovers. Do you know there’s a safe way to store your leftovers? Keep the tacos and not the bacteria by following these tips from FoodSafety.gov....

Jobs in solid waste and recycling continue to be a hazardous occupation “despite ongoing efforts to get out of the top 10 deadliest job category by investing in more safety training and technology for vehicles and facilities,” per Waste Dive in its December 19, 2024...

You take advantage of the convenience of online ordering, but are left with a huge stack of boxes and packing materials. Before tossing boxes in the recycling cart, first consider how you might reuse them instead. Free online marketplaces like Freecycle, Facebook...

Small pieces of Styrofoam. A broken plastic straw. Empty plastic bags. These items are scattered across the ground and our waters, breaking down into microplastics—pervasive pollutants that pose significant environmental and public health risks. Though small,...

As we move into this new year, it’s natural to reflect on ways to improve our lives and our environmental impact. One simple way to achieve this is by reducing our consumption. By doing so, we save money and cut down on waste. As you think about resolutions for 2025,...

Do your kids (or you) like to bring in the mail? Being the first to see what is waiting in the mailbox is fun. If you’re lucky, maybe there is something exciting with your name on it! But many days, there is a flood of mail, but none of it is anything you want. (You...

According to the USDA, about 30-40% of our food supply ends up wasted, and a substantial amount of that happens right in our homes. When we waste food, we not only throw away the money we spent, but also the resources used to produce it, like water, energy, and labor....

There’s no time like the days after the holidays to kick-start your recycling and reuse efforts! Finish the winter holidays off right by making sure all your waste and leftovers are properly reused, recycled, or disposed. Not only will you have a cleaner home, but...