4. Recycle

Every city has different recycling policies, and many cities have stopped recycling, so your best bet is to start by refusing, reducing, and reusing, but you can also make a point to buy products in packaging that can be more easily recycled. For example, we switched to dish detergent and laundry pods in cardboard, and we try to seek out plastic-free packaging as much as possible. If you produce products, consider switching your packaging to something that’s easier to recycle. If your business does a lot of shipping, consider swapping plastic shipping containers for paper, and even plastic tape for paper tape. If your business has a storefront, you might also consider setting up TerraCycle bins to help your community recycle otherwise difficult to recycle items. This is a great way to bring more locals into your store while doing something good for your community. As a photographer, I purchased a TerraCycle zero waste bin to recycle any materials associated with my photo products that would otherwise go in the trash.