Soluções para fazer um mundo mais sustentável em 2020 – e mais feliz

Dear Fashionista: What's the most responsible way to dispose of shoes once they're worn past the point of no return? I don't want them to end up in a landfill, but I know I can't just put them out on the curb with my cardboard and glass for recycling.   Perhaps your soles look like Swiss cheese or your high heels are so chewed up you're telling people the dog got ahold of them. If it's time to retire your loved-to-death footwear and you're looking for responsible, sustainable ways to do so, there's good news and bad news: You have options, but none of them are perfect.   Of the 24.2 billion pairs of shoes manufactured globally each year, experts say that most of them end up in a landfill or incinerator, because there are simply too many shoes and not enough recycling solutions.   "When you are generating this much product, most of it is sent back to landfill," says Dr. Sahadat Hossain, the director of the Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability at the University of Texas at Arlington.   Still, you're right to resist the urge to toss shoes in the garbage. Once they're kicking back in the dump, shoes can leach plasticizers, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals, says Hossain. They also take a literal eternity to break down. While natural materials decompose quickly (cotton takes about six months while leather requires 20 to 40 years), most of our shoes contain plastic-based components that last much, much longer.   "PVC and EVA are around 35% of all shoe materials, globally," explains Hossain. "They can take as much as 1,000 years to decompose." Of course, this is all theoretical, he adds. In modern landfills, which are lined in plastic and then sealed shut, our shoes sit intact "as long as you can imagine."  

WHEN IN DOUBT, DONATE

  The simplest advice is to donate used shoes.   "Worn out to you doesn't necessarily mean worn out to someone else," says Tiffany Fuller, a deputy director of Reuse, Special Waste and Apartment Programs at the New York City Department of Sanitation.   In fact, according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, we buy more than seven pairs of shoe per year, the equivalent of one new pair every seven weeks. Purchasing at this clip means that most of our shoes never truly get the chance to wear out. And reusing is better for the environment than recycling.   By donating, shoes will likely find their way to emerging nations (charities sell about 25% of what we donate locally and export the rest), some of which boast a thriving market for worn and even refurbished footwear.   "Some of them get washed and cleaned and, if need be, the heel is replaced," explains Steven Bethell, founder of Bank & Vogue, a global used clothing broker. In Guatemala, there's a sneaker cleaning plant, says Bethell, while in Pakistan men's dress shoes get resoled in large recycling facilities. If you're wondering if your shoes are fit to be reworn, Bethell's advice echoes Fuller's: "When in doubt, donate."   There's one major caveat with donating: Not all footwear will find a new home and developing countries are filled to the brim with our old stuff.   "There is greater supply than there is demand," says Liz Ricketts, co-founder of the OR Foundation, a non-profit that researches the secondhand industry in Ghana. In Ghana, she says, as much as 40% of clothing imported from the West is directly landfilled or burned. She suspects the percentage is even higher with footwear.   Still, Bethell says there are ways to boost the chances that your shoes will make the cut. Sneakers (both men's and women's), soccer shoes and men's dress shoes are most in demand in the international secondhand trade and are good options to donate. Fashionable women's shoes, on the other hand — especially high heels — are a "dime a dozen" and are a better option to repair and resell at home.        

IF THEY CAN'T BE SAVED, SEE IF THEY CAN GET NEW LIFE IN ANOTHER FORM

  If your shoes are truly beat and you can't fathom another person loving them — a good rule of thumb is that if the uppers are still in good condition, the shoe can have a second life — toss them into a recycling bin instead of the trash. Footwear recycling is not nearly as common as clothes recycling (apparel can be shredded and turned into new fibers or insulation, for example), because shoes are more complex. However, there are a handful of programs attempting it. And the options are expected to grow in the next few years.   Nike's Reuse a Shoe program, running since 1993, recycles worn out sneakers by any brand. They've processed 33 million pairs of shoes to date. After separating the shoes into leather, foam, plastic and rubber, the pieces are ground down and reused as surfacing for playgrounds, track tops, carpet padding and even new Nike gear, like maybe the soles of your Air Jordans. You can get in on the action by dropping your shoes at participating Nike and Converse Factory stores (here's a list of them).   You can also take beat-up shoes by any brand to Columbia stores and participating Asics stores (here's a list). These in-store take back programs are run by I:CO, a global waste handler whose parent company opened the world's first industrial-scale shoe recycling facility in 2018, which is working to find solutions for any kind of shoe waste, according to a company rep via email. Recently I:CO partnered with Adidas to turn bits of rubber from running shoes into rugs, for example.   Another option is to organize a shoe drive and send what you collect to Terracycle, a New Jersey-based recycler that finds buyers for leather shoe bits that can to be turned into flooring and furniture, while plastic becomes containers and soundproofing materials, among other uses, says Ernel Simpson, VP of research and development. But you'll have to pay for it. Collection boxes start at $109, making it a better option for offices, apartment buildings or schools.   Fortunately, footwear recycling options should expand in the near future.   "We are looking at shoe to shoe to recycling. Conceptually it's a new way of looking at things," explains Dharan Kirupanathan, technology lead behind Adidas's Futurecraft.Loop, an allegedly "infinitely recyclable" running shoe made of a single material that's currently in its pilot phase. And I:CO is planning to expand its footwear recycling options to more stores and brands in 2020.  

THE BEST SOLUTION OF ALL? KEEP THEM KICKING

  Before you act on any of the above, take a second look at the shoes in question. Chances are that your shoes aren't actually on death's door and could be brought back to life. In fact, there's almost no such thing as a worn-out shoe in the hands of a good cobbler.   "We can fix everything," says Jair Antonio Hernandez, owner of J&C Shoe Repair in Brooklyn, who has 48 years of experience and happens to be my personal cobbler. Many cobblers will take on unusual repairs, like replacing the cork on Birkenstocks, shampooing and reconditioning Uggs and rejuvenating your sneakers, too.   "We can do full resoles on sneakers, new heels and change the color," says Hernandez. Repairing truly worn-out shoes is more expensive, he adds, so next time, don't wait so long.   If you don't have shoe repair nearby, try an online shoe repair service, like My Shoe Hospital, NuShoe or Cobbler Concierge. Jersey-based SoleFresh has a mail-in option for sneakers. If you've bought a pair of high-end shoes (like Red Wing), check if the company provides in-house repairs.   You can also try your hand at some DIY shoe recovery at home. Shoe adhesives like Shoe-Fix, Barge and Shoe Goo are cheap and effective and can be used to plug holes in those paper-thin soles, reattach a flopping sole and — my favorite trick — build up a worn-down heel so you're not walking at a slant.  

THE FUTURE OF FOOTWEAR

  Luckily, the shoe industry is working on new ways to help curb this cycle of waste — and make it simpler to part with shoes without all the guilt. From upstarts like Veja and Everlane to industry stalwarts like Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Converse and Saucony, more footwear companies are moving towards non-toxic, biodegradable and recycled components. It's also easier than ever to give a pair of shoes a second life by listing them on resale platforms like TheRealReal, Depop and ThredUp or on sneaker trading platforms like Sole Supremacy, StockX and Fight Club.   At the end of the day, there's no magic bullet solution to getting rid of old shoes. Like everything else to do with sustainability, it's complicated and requires tradeoffs. And even recycling innovations can't replace the time-tested advice to buy the best quality shoes you can afford (leather still lasts the longest and is easiest to repair, says Hernandez) and to care for each pair as long as possible. Once you're past that point? It's worth remembering that old shoes also make great flower pots.   Got a sustainability question of your own? Submit it with "Ask a Sustainability Expert" in the subject line to tips@fashionista.com and we'll see if we can help answer it.

Even for fashion and beauty lovers who think sustainability is important, wading through all the sometimes-conflicting information about it can be tricky. To combat the confusion, we're asking scientists, researchers and other authorities to answer all your most pressing questions in our column Ask a Sustainability Expert.   Dear Fashionista: What's the most responsible way to dispose of shoes once they're worn past the point of no return? I don't want them to end up in a landfill, but I know I can't just put them out on the curb with my cardboard and glass for recycling.   Perhaps your soles look like Swiss cheese or your high heels are so chewed up you're telling people the dog got ahold of them. If it's time to retire your loved-to-death footwear and you're looking for responsible, sustainable ways to do so, there's good news and bad news: You have options, but none of them are perfect.   Of the 24.2 billion pairs of shoes manufactured globally each year, experts say that most of them end up in a landfill or incinerator, because there are simply too many shoes and not enough recycling solutions.   "When you are generating this much product, most of it is sent back to landfill," says Dr. Sahadat Hossain, the director of the Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability at the University of Texas at Arlington.   Still, you're right to resist the urge to toss shoes in the garbage. Once they're kicking back in the dump, shoes can leach plasticizers, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals, says Hossain. They also take a literal eternity to break down. While natural materials decompose quickly (cotton takes about six months while leather requires 20 to 40 years), most of our shoes contain plastic-based components that last much, much longer.   "PVC and EVA are around 35% of all shoe materials, globally," explains Hossain. "They can take as much as 1,000 years to decompose." Of course, this is all theoretical, he adds. In modern landfills, which are lined in plastic and then sealed shut, our shoes sit intact "as long as you can imagine."  

WHEN IN DOUBT, DONATE

  The simplest advice is to donate used shoes.   "Worn out to you doesn't necessarily mean worn out to someone else," says Tiffany Fuller, a deputy director of Reuse, Special Waste and Apartment Programs at the New York City Department of Sanitation.   In fact, according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, we buy more than seven pairs of shoe per year, the equivalent of one new pair every seven weeks. Purchasing at this clip means that most of our shoes never truly get the chance to wear out. And reusing is better for the environment than recycling.   By donating, shoes will likely find their way to emerging nations (charities sell about 25% of what we donate locally and export the rest), some of which boast a thriving market for worn and even refurbished footwear.   "Some of them get washed and cleaned and, if need be, the heel is replaced," explains Steven Bethell, founder of Bank & Vogue, a global used clothing broker. In Guatemala, there's a sneaker cleaning plant, says Bethell, while in Pakistan men's dress shoes get resoled in large recycling facilities. If you're wondering if your shoes are fit to be reworn, Bethell's advice echoes Fuller's: "When in doubt, donate."   There's one major caveat with donating: Not all footwear will find a new home and developing countries are filled to the brim with our old stuff.   "There is greater supply than there is demand," says Liz Ricketts, co-founder of the OR Foundation, a non-profit that researches the secondhand industry in Ghana. In Ghana, she says, as much as 40% of clothing imported from the West is directly landfilled or burned. She suspects the percentage is even higher with footwear.   Still, Bethell says there are ways to boost the chances that your shoes will make the cut. Sneakers (both men's and women's), soccer shoes and men's dress shoes are most in demand in the international secondhand trade and are good options to donate. Fashionable women's shoes, on the other hand — especially high heels — are a "dime a dozen" and are a better option to repair and resell at home.      

IF THEY CAN'T BE SAVED, SEE IF THEY CAN GET NEW LIFE IN ANOTHER FORM

  If your shoes are truly beat and you can't fathom another person loving them — a good rule of thumb is that if the uppers are still in good condition, the shoe can have a second life — toss them into a recycling bin instead of the trash. Footwear recycling is not nearly as common as clothes recycling (apparel can be shredded and turned into new fibers or insulation, for example), because shoes are more complex. However, there are a handful of programs attempting it. And the options are expected to grow in the next few years.   Nike's Reuse a Shoe program, running since 1993, recycles worn out sneakers by any brand. They've processed 33 million pairs of shoes to date. After separating the shoes into leather, foam, plastic and rubber, the pieces are ground down and reused as surfacing for playgrounds, track tops, carpet padding and even new Nike gear, like maybe the soles of your Air Jordans. You can get in on the action by dropping your shoes at participating Nike and Converse Factory stores (here's a list of them).   You can also take beat-up shoes by any brand to Columbia stores and participating Asics stores (here's a list). These in-store take back programs are run by I:CO, a global waste handler whose parent company opened the world's first industrial-scale shoe recycling facility in 2018, which is working to find solutions for any kind of shoe waste, according to a company rep via email. Recently I:CO partnered with Adidas to turn bits of rubber from running shoes into rugs, for example.   Another option is to organize a shoe drive and send what you collect to Terracycle, a New Jersey-based recycler that finds buyers for leather shoe bits that can to be turned into flooring and furniture, while plastic becomes containers and soundproofing materials, among other uses, says Ernel Simpson, VP of research and development. But you'll have to pay for it. Collection boxes start at $109, making it a better option for offices, apartment buildings or schools.   Fortunately, footwear recycling options should expand in the near future.   "We are looking at shoe to shoe to recycling. Conceptually it's a new way of looking at things," explains Dharan Kirupanathan, technology lead behind Adidas's Futurecraft.Loop, an allegedly "infinitely recyclable" running shoe made of a single material that's currently in its pilot phase. And I:CO is planning to expand its footwear recycling options to more stores and brands in 2020.  

THE BEST SOLUTION OF ALL? KEEP THEM KICKING

  Before you act on any of the above, take a second look at the shoes in question. Chances are that your shoes aren't actually on death's door and could be brought back to life. In fact, there's almost no such thing as a worn-out shoe in the hands of a good cobbler.   "We can fix everything," says Jair Antonio Hernandez, owner of J&C Shoe Repair in Brooklyn, who has 48 years of experience and happens to be my personal cobbler. Many cobblers will take on unusual repairs, like replacing the cork on Birkenstocks, shampooing and reconditioning Uggs and rejuvenating your sneakers, too.   "We can do full resoles on sneakers, new heels and change the color," says Hernandez. Repairing truly worn-out shoes is more expensive, he adds, so next time, don't wait so long.   If you don't have shoe repair nearby, try an online shoe repair service, like My Shoe Hospital, NuShoe or Cobbler Concierge. Jersey-based SoleFresh has a mail-in option for sneakers. If you've bought a pair of high-end shoes (like Red Wing), check if the company provides in-house repairs.   You can also try your hand at some DIY shoe recovery at home. Shoe adhesives like Shoe-Fix, Barge and Shoe Goo are cheap and effective and can be used to plug holes in those paper-thin soles, reattach a flopping sole and — my favorite trick — build up a worn-down heel so you're not walking at a slant.  

THE FUTURE OF FOOTWEAR

  Luckily, the shoe industry is working on new ways to help curb this cycle of waste — and make it simpler to part with shoes without all the guilt. From upstarts like Veja and Everlane to industry stalwarts like Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Converse and Saucony, more footwear companies are moving towards non-toxic, biodegradable and recycled components. It's also easier than ever to give a pair of shoes a second life by listing them on resale platforms like TheRealReal, Depop and ThredUp or on sneaker trading platforms like Sole Supremacy, StockX and Fight Club.   At the end of the day, there's no magic bullet solution to getting rid of old shoes. Like everything else to do with sustainability, it's complicated and requires tradeoffs. And even recycling innovations can't replace the time-tested advice to buy the best quality shoes you can afford (leather still lasts the longest and is easiest to repair, says Hernandez) and to care for each pair as long as possible. Once you're past that point? It's worth remembering that old shoes also make great flower pots.

Dear Fashionista: What's the most responsible way to dispose of shoes once they're worn past the point of no return? I don't want them to end up in a landfill, but I know I can't just put them out on the curb with my cardboard and glass for recycling.   Perhaps your soles look like Swiss cheese or your high heels are so chewed up you're telling people the dog got ahold of them. If it's time to retire your loved-to-death footwear and you're looking for responsible, sustainable ways to do so, there's good news and bad news: You have options, but none of them are perfect.   Of the 24.2 billion pairs of shoes manufactured globally each year, experts say that most of them end up in a landfill or incinerator, because there are simply too many shoes and not enough recycling solutions.   "When you are generating this much product, most of it is sent back to landfill," says Dr. Sahadat Hossain, the director of the Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability at the University of Texas at Arlington.   Still, you're right to resist the urge to toss shoes in the garbage. Once they're kicking back in the dump, shoes can leach plasticizers, heavy metals and other toxic chemicals, says Hossain. They also take a literal eternity to break down. While natural materials decompose quickly (cotton takes about six months while leather requires 20 to 40 years), most of our shoes contain plastic-based components that last much, much longer.   "PVC and EVA are around 35% of all shoe materials, globally," explains Hossain. "They can take as much as 1,000 years to decompose." Of course, this is all theoretical, he adds. In modern landfills, which are lined in plastic and then sealed shut, our shoes sit intact "as long as you can imagine."  

WHEN IN DOUBT, DONATE

  The simplest advice is to donate used shoes.   "Worn out to you doesn't necessarily mean worn out to someone else," says Tiffany Fuller, a deputy director of Reuse, Special Waste and Apartment Programs at the New York City Department of Sanitation.   In fact, according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association, we buy more than seven pairs of shoe per year, the equivalent of one new pair every seven weeks. Purchasing at this clip means that most of our shoes never truly get the chance to wear out. And reusing is better for the environment than recycling.   By donating, shoes will likely find their way to emerging nations (charities sell about 25% of what we donate locally and export the rest), some of which boast a thriving market for worn and even refurbished footwear.   "Some of them get washed and cleaned and, if need be, the heel is replaced," explains Steven Bethell, founder of Bank & Vogue, a global used clothing broker. In Guatemala, there's a sneaker cleaning plant, says Bethell, while in Pakistan men's dress shoes get resoled in large recycling facilities. If you're wondering if your shoes are fit to be reworn, Bethell's advice echoes Fuller's: "When in doubt, donate."   There's one major caveat with donating: Not all footwear will find a new home and developing countries are filled to the brim with our old stuff.   "There is greater supply than there is demand," says Liz Ricketts, co-founder of the OR Foundation, a non-profit that researches the secondhand industry in Ghana. In Ghana, she says, as much as 40% of clothing imported from the West is directly landfilled or burned. She suspects the percentage is even higher with footwear.   Still, Bethell says there are ways to boost the chances that your shoes will make the cut. Sneakers (both men's and women's), soccer shoes and men's dress shoes are most in demand in the international secondhand trade and are good options to donate. Fashionable women's shoes, on the other hand — especially high heels — are a "dime a dozen" and are a better option to repair and resell at home.        

IF THEY CAN'T BE SAVED, SEE IF THEY CAN GET NEW LIFE IN ANOTHER FORM

  If your shoes are truly beat and you can't fathom another person loving them — a good rule of thumb is that if the uppers are still in good condition, the shoe can have a second life — toss them into a recycling bin instead of the trash. Footwear recycling is not nearly as common as clothes recycling (apparel can be shredded and turned into new fibers or insulation, for example), because shoes are more complex. However, there are a handful of programs attempting it. And the options are expected to grow in the next few years.   Nike's Reuse a Shoe program, running since 1993, recycles worn out sneakers by any brand. They've processed 33 million pairs of shoes to date. After separating the shoes into leather, foam, plastic and rubber, the pieces are ground down and reused as surfacing for playgrounds, track tops, carpet padding and even new Nike gear, like maybe the soles of your Air Jordans. You can get in on the action by dropping your shoes at participating Nike and Converse Factory stores (here's a list of them).   You can also take beat-up shoes by any brand to Columbia stores and participating Asics stores (here's a list). These in-store take back programs are run by I:CO, a global waste handler whose parent company opened the world's first industrial-scale shoe recycling facility in 2018, which is working to find solutions for any kind of shoe waste, according to a company rep via email. Recently I:CO partnered with Adidas to turn bits of rubber from running shoes into rugs, for example.   Another option is to organize a shoe drive and send what you collect to Terracycle, a New Jersey-based recycler that finds buyers for leather shoe bits that can to be turned into flooring and furniture, while plastic becomes containers and soundproofing materials, among other uses, says Ernel Simpson, VP of research and development. But you'll have to pay for it. Collection boxes start at $109, making it a better option for offices, apartment buildings or schools.   Fortunately, footwear recycling options should expand in the near future.   "We are looking at shoe to shoe to recycling. Conceptually it's a new way of looking at things," explains Dharan Kirupanathan, technology lead behind Adidas's Futurecraft.Loop, an allegedly "infinitely recyclable" running shoe made of a single material that's currently in its pilot phase. And I:CO is planning to expand its footwear recycling options to more stores and brands in 2020.  

THE BEST SOLUTION OF ALL? KEEP THEM KICKING

  Before you act on any of the above, take a second look at the shoes in question. Chances are that your shoes aren't actually on death's door and could be brought back to life. In fact, there's almost no such thing as a worn-out shoe in the hands of a good cobbler.   "We can fix everything," says Jair Antonio Hernandez, owner of J&C Shoe Repair in Brooklyn, who has 48 years of experience and happens to be my personal cobbler. Many cobblers will take on unusual repairs, like replacing the cork on Birkenstocks, shampooing and reconditioning Uggs and rejuvenating your sneakers, too.   "We can do full resoles on sneakers, new heels and change the color," says Hernandez. Repairing truly worn-out shoes is more expensive, he adds, so next time, don't wait so long.   If you don't have shoe repair nearby, try an online shoe repair service, like My Shoe Hospital, NuShoe or Cobbler Concierge. Jersey-based SoleFresh has a mail-in option for sneakers. If you've bought a pair of high-end shoes (like Red Wing), check if the company provides in-house repairs.   You can also try your hand at some DIY shoe recovery at home. Shoe adhesives like Shoe-Fix, Barge and Shoe Goo are cheap and effective and can be used to plug holes in those paper-thin soles, reattach a flopping sole and — my favorite trick — build up a worn-down heel so you're not walking at a slant.  

THE FUTURE OF FOOTWEAR

  Luckily, the shoe industry is working on new ways to help curb this cycle of waste — and make it simpler to part with shoes without all the guilt. From upstarts like Veja and Everlane to industry stalwarts like Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Converse and Saucony, more footwear companies are moving towards non-toxic, biodegradable and recycled components. It's also easier than ever to give a pair of shoes a second life by listing them on resale platforms like TheRealReal, Depop and ThredUp or on sneaker trading platforms like Sole Supremacy, StockX and Fight Club.   At the end of the day, there's no magic bullet solution to getting rid of old shoes. Like everything else to do with sustainability, it's complicated and requires tradeoffs. And even recycling innovations can't replace the time-tested advice to buy the best quality shoes you can afford (leather still lasts the longest and is easiest to repair, says Hernandez) and to care for each pair as long as possible. Once you're past that point? It's worth remembering that old shoes also make great flower pots.   Got a sustainability question of your own? Submit it with "Ask a Sustainability Expert" in the subject line to tips@fashionista.com and we'll see if we can help answer it.

This year’s Seedy Saturday was a great success!  Our attendance was the highest ever recorded for a Hamilton Seedy Saturday with 832 people.  That is almost 200 people more than last year! We had 30 vendors including seed vendors, environmental businesses and community groups. The workshops were very well attended with 95 guests enjoying them.  Special mention goes out to Sentimental Farm whose workshop Growing Vegetables in Raised Beds: Why You Should was so popular that avid gardeners were spilling out into the hallway to hear their talk. We also had a great workshop – The Growing Season in southern Ontario – Season planning for new gardeners and newcomers delivered in English and Arabic. Thanks to Neighbour to Neighbour for making this happen! Geek + Tea, our food vendor this year, did a great job not only keeping people warm and fed, but also managed to have zero waste sent to the landfill.  All of our cafe waste was composted, recycled or sent to TerraCycle.  So thank you to Geek + Tea and all of our visitors and vendors for bringing along your zero waste lunch solutions! THANK you to all of our volunteers who helped on the day of with set up and tear down, seed sorting, vendor logistics, the welcome table and raffle and much more, we could not have done it without you!! Dundurn Castle once again played an important role partnering with us to run the seed swap room.  Thanks to them and all our volunteers in the seed swap room the tables were well stocked with seeds all day. We also introduced a “sort your own seeds” table at this year’s event which encouraged those who brought seeds to spend some time sorting them into seed swap size portions. A HUGE thank you to The Boys and Girls Club for hosting at their wonderful venue. The staff was incredibly welcoming to Green Venture and all of our attendees.  They also ran the children’s activities for the event and had over 40 children visit them.  Many vendors, volunteers and attendees mentioned how much they enjoyed this space for Seedy Saturday. We would like to extend our gratitude to our sponsors Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann, Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla, Facedrive and Humble Bee. Thank you everyone for once again making this event an amazing welcome to Spring! We cannot wait for next year!

Teton Valley Community Recycling regrets to inform recyclers who take advantage of our specialty recycling collections that one of our most popular TerraCycle recycling collections, the Clif Bar Foil Energy Bar Wrapper Recycling Program, will be closing nationwide at the end of February.   Over the past three years, TVCR, in partnership with Grand Targhee Resort has collected thousands of foil bar wrappers from community members which we send in for proper recycling. This particular TerraCycle program for “hard to recycle” waste was fully funded by CLIF Bar. The company not only paid for the processing and recycling of the material, but also shipping via UPS from our community. CLIF has decided to focus its efforts of developing fully compostable or recyclable packaging for all of their products by 2025 – no small task. We appreciate CLIF stepping up as a role model to other businesses to take responsibility for the packaging they produce. We hope more companies do the right thing and come up with better solutions for the packaging waste.   We will be replacing this collection with drawers to collect the tabs from aluminum cans (soda pop or beer tabs) to donate to the Ronald McDonald House fundraiser in Salt Lake City to help house families with children undergoing cancer treatments. This program has raised thousands of dollars already since 1997 and your old aluminum pop tabs can help.   No – Foil Energy Bar Wrappers. Yes – aluminum can tabs   Recycling opportunities are constantly fluctuating and we do our best to research and find worthwhile diversion programs that work for Teton Valley. We are sad to see this program end and we truly appreciate all of the diligent recyclers in our community who have brought us clean, sorted items to ship to the recycler. Thanks for participating. We will continue looking for package recycling options that are viable for our community and keep you updated. Follow TetonRecycling on Instagram, Facebook, or subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates. And don’t hesitate to email us with any questions or comments about waste and recycling in Teton County at tetonrecycling@gmail.com. The TVCR Foil Bar Wrapper Collection will officially be shut down on Feb. 20. Please bring all of your accumulated bar wrappers to put in the drawers at the Geo Center or at General Laundry in Victor no later than February 20. After that, all bar wrappers and foil packaging must go to the landfill, so please do not bring any more to our collection sites.

You’ve unwrapped them every time you’ve eaten a Clif Bar or other Clif products. The program was a partnership between Clif and TerraCycle. Globally, the program will end February 29 as Clif works to develop more sustainable packaging for its products.   After February 21, the collection bin at the Recycling Center will be removed. Until more is known about Clif Bar’s sustainable packaging, CLIF wrappers should be thrown in the trash.

In 2020, sustainable beauty isn't just a trend: It's a full-on movement. And while safe, clean formulas and ethical business practices are as important as ever, when it comes to packaging, it's what's on the outside that counts, too.   We've talked about going plastic-free and have shared our know-how when it comes to recycling your empties, but what about products that break the bottle cycle altogether? "Currently it's a battle between sustainability and the most effective packaging for the product, and price," Follain founder and CEO Tara Foley tells Refinery29. "Face serums and moisturizers are a great example: The best packaging to protect the formula is an airless pump, but that format is more difficult to recycle than a jar." The solve — investing in ways to responsibly dispose of hard-to-recycle items through brands like TerraCycle, who has partnered with Follain since the beginning.   Presenting, the very best beauty products from body wash to lipstick to liquid eyeliner that are helping the green cause by reducing waste — and looking good doing it.   At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team.                                            

O Liceu Santista engajou-se no projeto “Seu material salva vidas”, organizado pelo Rotaract Club de Praia Grande Forte Itaipu em parceria com a Terracycle e Faber Castell, cujo intuito é arrecadar material de escrita para um programa de reciclagem que realiza o descarte correto destes resíduos. Essa ação gera benefícios pecuniários que serão revertidos para o projeto mundial End polio now, do Rotary International.

Every one of our lifestyle choices has a lasting impact on the environment—for better or for worse. Collectively, our decisions are significant and can help steer our relationship with the planet in a more sustainable direction. Choosing refillable product packaging and recycling empties in stores or through programs like Terracycle's Loop are just some of the ways we can make our beauty routines more sustainable, but even the steps we take to care for and style our hair can have a positive influence. To explain more, we had Selena Gomez's hairstylist, Marissa Marino, give us tips to make our hair routine more environmentally-friendly (without sacrificing style). "More than 95% of water usage occurs while you wash your hair, and it all goes down the drain," says Marino. She adds, "There are a lot of clean beauty brands out there, but few who are making an impact in minimizing water waste." This is why she's partnered with WATERL<SS, a brand that focuses on helping to reduce water usage. Below, Marino walks us through seven ways to conserve water while styling your hair. Train your hair Obviously, one of the most effective ways to conserve water is to reduce how much much you wash it. "You can extend the time between wash days, which will reduce the time you spend in the shower and ultimately conserve more water," suggests Marino. The more often you give your hair a break between washes, the more it will adjust to producing less oil. "People with oily hair tend to wash their hair every day," Marino says. "However, washing your hair with shampoo and water daily actually sends a signal to your scalp to produce more oil—leaving you in a vicious cycle." Embrace second-day (or third-day) hair Extending time between washes isn't just better for the environment and your health, but it can actually improve the look of your hair. "For those with curly textures, day two, three, or even five can be the best hair days," explains Marino. "It's nice with your natural oils kick in because it can add great texture." Turn off the faucet while lathering your hair "If you can't reduce your wash days, a simple solution is to turn off the faucet when applying shampoo or conditioner," advises Marino. "You can also fill a small container of water to rinse your hair—this will give you more control on how much goes down the drain." Use dry shampoo right after washing According to Marino, it can be helpful to use dry shampoo right after washing. "Using a dry shampoo like WATERL<SS's No Residue or Foam right after washing your hair will create an instant barrier. It helps repels dirt and grease even before it starts to accumulate," she says. "Plus," she says, "It creates the best texture at the root for the perfect messy ponytail. Don't be shy with the right dry shampoo "There are a lot of myths about dry shampoo," notes Marino. She clarifies that all of it depends on the formula. WATERL<SS No Residue Dry Shampoo leaves no residue," she explains, "and it's buildable throughout the day. It keeps your hair feeling clean and refreshed without the white powder effect we often experience with other dry shampoos." Listen to your hair Many of us can end up washing our hair in the shower out of habit, but this probably isn't what your hair really needs. Marino reminds us that everyone's hair is unique and diverse, so a customized approach is most effective. "Your hair will ultimately tell you when it needs to be washed," she replies when I ask how long someone can go without washing their hair and how many days in a row it's safe to continue applying product onto unwashed hair. "If you're using product to extend your days between washes, I recommend keeping an eye on any scalp irritation—your body is really good at telling you when it needs a change. Use a timer when you shower Marino's final tip is to use a timer on your phone to limit your time in the shower. "An average shower in America is around eight minutes long and uses over 17.2 gallons of water—that's 2.1 gallons a minute!" reveals Marino. "Limiting yourself to two to three minutes can save over 13 gallons of water."