The world’s largest and oldest baby food company will shortly introduce the first single-material baby food pouch. Gerber says the new all-polypropylene pouch creates greater value for the recycling industry because it simplifies the process and promotes the development of better recycling infrastructure.   Here are the essentials of the development, draw from the press release and custom input from Tony Dzikowicz, Gerber’s associate director of packaging, Sina Hilbert, Gerber’s brand manager & sustainability lead, and Justin Welke, Nestlé’s packaging project manager.   1. The current pouch is a standard multilayer construction.   Gerber launched its first baby food pouch in 2011, a multi-material structure made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), foil, and polyethylene (PE).   It’s an industry-standard structure that reflects the current industry standard for pouches, structure using two outer layers of plastic that sandwich an aluminum barrier layer.   That kind of structure is not currently municipally recyclable in the U.S. due to outdated infrastructure that struggles to sort and process flexible plastics.   2. That experience helped with the new pouch development.   Since 2011 Gerber has built “substantial expertise” in package development and filling operations by working with different material, designs, and equipment, as well as different partners. That expertise provided an understanding of the performance requirements and validation needs for this first-of-its-kind pouch.   3. The new pouch is a mono-material polypropylene structure from Gualapack.   In 2017, Gerber began conducting trials with Gualapack, a global supplier of premade spouted pouches, with the goal of bringing the industry’s first mono-material pouch to market.   A key benefit of the PP pouch is that it provides transparency and window options so consumers can see the product inside.   4. It’s 100% recyclable, but there’s a caveat.   The pouch will be 100% recyclable through Gerber's national recycling program with upcycler TerraCycle, which is noted on the pouch back panel (below).   5. A curbside recycling pilot holds promise.   With Nestlé as a founding member of Materials Recovery for the Future (MRFF), a research collaborative committed to creating recycling solutions, Gerber is supporting curbside recycling for the pouch. MRFF's pilot program in Pottstown, PA, is the first curbside recycling program in the U.S. to accept flexible plastics such as these. The goal is to expand the program across America.   6. Why it wasn’t developed to be #2 PE In-store Recycle Ready pouch.   Currently, the #2 Polyethylene (PE) in-store drop off stream is limited to plastics that are “clean and dry.” Because baby food is a wet product, it is challenging to clean and dry pouches to the level that is compatible.   7. The shelf life is lower at nine months.   That’s a reduction from the 12-month shelf life of its standard Organic pouch, but Gerber exploring ways to increase the shelf life while maintaining a focus on recyclability.   8. Same size, lower net weight.   Although the pouch size is the same as its Organics line, the approximate 3 1/6-oz net weight is slightly less than the current line’s 3 ½-oz net weight. That was done to preserve the integrity of the mono-polypropylene structure, Gerber says.   9. Gerber’s advice for other companies.   The company says that “it’s imperative for all parts of an organization to work together to accomplish the goal of sustainable packaging. As the industry moves to mono-material and other designs ‘with the end in mind,’ compromises may be required, such as shelf life, filling performance, cost of materials and more, so support from all business functions is key.   10. The first product launches in May on TheGerberStore.com.   The pouch will be available exclusively on TheGerberStore.com for Gerber's Organic Banana Mango Puree beginning in May 2020. The initial launch gives Gerber an opportunity to gain experience in the market before expanding more broadly.

Did you know that you can recycle disposable gloves? TerraCycle offers a variety of recycling solutions for hard-to-recycle items. Check out their Disposable Gloves Zero Waste Box and help save the planet while you’re protecting yourself!   Print or share We Earthling posters to inspire others with your stories. Would you like to share a photo and story? Drop by the Earthling Forum to contribute your photos and ideas.

On March 25, Governor Jay Inslee signed a single-use plastic bag ban into law in Washington, calling it a "victory for our environment." The bill, which will go into effect on January 1, 2021, will not only ban the use of plastic bags in retail stores, but will also implement an 8-cent charge for other bags handed out.   While that law was being signed in the background of a pandemic that has the state locked down under stay-home orders, many shoppers at grocery stores like Safeway, Albertsons and Fred Meyer were surprised when clerks refused to bag groceries into their reusable totes, citing concerns about the transmission of COVID-19. Shoppers were given the option to either bag their own groceries in reusable bags, or use the store's paper ones.   And these grocery stores weren't the first to stop customers from using reusable items. Earlier in March, Starbucks suspended the use of reusable and personal cups in their stores for employee safety, meaning that customers were only able to purchase drinks in single-use, polyethylene-lined cups unless they were living in a city that was pioneering the company's long-awaited compostable cup.   These two instances are perhaps a sign of the rapidly changing social norms surrounding COVID-19 and growing belief that single-use plastic is a safer, more sanitary alternative to reusable, greener counterparts.   “No disposable package is today sterile, just to be explicitly clear,” said Tom Szaky, the founder and CEO of TerraCycle, in an interview with Grist about coronavirus and the zero waste movement. Szaky stated that the belief that plastic is more sanitary is primarily driven by convenience more than actual fact.   While some media outlets have been quick to make the reemergence of plastic bags a partisan issue, with one quipping that "liberals find plastic annoying," the actual evidence that plastics are safer is minimal. The only analysis into the virus's transmissibility on different surfaces is a recent study from the New England Journal of Medicine which found that the virus was remained viable for up to 72 hours on plastics, 48 hours on stainless steel, 24 hours on cardboard, and just 4 hours on copper.   Environmental groups believe that the plastics industry used the crisis to further their own agendas by funding op-eds that misrepresent scientific studies and claim that reusable bags are more dangerous in viral transmission. Greenpeace released a research brief that detailed how plastic manufacturers exploited the pandemic to discredit legislation that bans single-use plastic.   "At a time when people need factual medical research to inform their decisions around protecting their families, the plastics industry has worked to exploit our fears for profits," said Greenpeace USA Plastics Research Specialist Ivy Schlegel. "For years, the plastics industry has pushed industry-funded research to try to discredit the movement to end single-use plastic pollution. And when COVID-19 began to spread, they saw it as an opportunity to strike and activate their network of pro-plastic surrogates. Now more than ever, we need independent guidance from medical professionals to inform our decisions around hygiene and shopping."   While the global environmental impacts of the pandemic won't be known until it is over, there are small silver linings -- with fewer people commuting, it is likely that there will be a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions much like what was seen in China. During their shutdown, the country saw an estimated 25% decrease in carbon emissions. Being eco-friendly might be the last thing on your mind during a global pandemic, but there are some simple things to keep in mind about minimizing waste in your own home. Keep reading and click through the gallery above for small changes you can make during the outbreak to reduce your environmental impact.  

1. Don't flush disinfectant wipes: Not only is it every plumber's nightmare, but these wipes contain material and chemicals that will not readily degrade in natural environments.

 

2. “Flushing only toilet paper helps ensure that the toilets, plumbing, sewer systems and septic systems will continue working properly to safely manage our nation’s wastewater,” the EPA said. “While EPA encourages disinfecting your environment to prevent the spread of COVID-19, never flush disinfecting wipes or other non-flushable items.”

 

3. Buy toilet paper brands made with recyclable materials: Not all toilet paper is made the same, in fact, many major brands like Charmin, Kirkland Signature (Costco's in-house brand), Angel Soft, Quilted Northern do not use any recycled content in their toilet paper.

 

4. So when you're stocking up, look for rolls that contain recycled materials or ones made with bamboo, a more sustainable option. Or better yet, invest in a bidet and skip the worry about wiping altogether.

 

5. Opt for takeout in compostable ware: We all want to support local restaurants in this uncertain time, and takeout or delivery is the almost contact-free option to do so. But before you order, consider if the restaurant is using compostable to-go containers or ask if your food can be packaged in them. Additionally, most delivery apps will give you an option to ditch the additional plastic silverware if you don't need it.

 

6. But if your takeout arrives on your doorstep in plastic containers, remember to make sure they are empty, clean and dry before recycling.

 

7. 4. Be energy efficient in the house: Now is a good time to implement energy-saving practices around the house, such as switching to LED lightbulbs. Not to mention that it could help lower your utility bills.

8. Don't buy what you don't need: It seems pretty simple, but panic buying supplies, especially those needed by medical professionals such as N-95 masks, disrupts distribution and supply chains. Even if you see empty shelves at a store, resist the urge to panic buy and take only what you will actually consume.

Whether you buy your beauty products online or in person, drugstore or high-end department store, there’s no denying that "clean beauty" is omnipresent. What was once a very small part of the industry featuring indie brands that you could only get at health food stores has gone massively mainstream. Huge retailers such as Sephora and Target all have clean beauty categories, retailers that sell exclusively clean beauty (such as Credo) offer an entirely new type of shopping experience, and it seems like every day another thousand brands hop aboard the clean beauty bandwagon. It’s no longer just the patchouli-wearing, health food store-shopping customer that’s looking for more natural beauty alternatives; these days, it seems like everyone wants to "clean up" their products.   And that’s not a bad thing—according to the Environmental Working Group, women use 12 personal care products per day on average, exposing themselves to 168 chemical ingredients. The only issue? As popular as it’s become, the clean beauty arena is essentially the wild, wild west. There are no industry-wide regulations or even agreed-upon guidelines as to what makes a product “clean.” Not to mention that it’s a completely lawless space as well; pretty much any manufacturer can slap the word "natural" on a label, even if it’s full of chemical ingredients.   So if you are looking to make the switch to clean beauty, it’s more important than ever to be an educated, savvy shopper. First and foremost, don’t be swayed by product alone; take the time to actually read the ingredient label. There are a few, more well-known categories of chemicals to steer clear of, parabens and phthalates being two of the big ones. It’s also about avoiding fragrance or perfume/parfum, says clean beauty expert Jenny Duranski, owner and founder of Lena Rose Beauty in Chicago. “Synthetic fragrance can be loaded with other ingredients and still be labeled as just fragrance,” she explains.   Duranski also recommends avoiding formaldehyde, toluene, and any ingredient that starts with PEG-. Searching for third-party seals is another good idea. Duranski likes the EcoCert seal, as well as the Made Safe certification, the latter of which has the highest standard when it comes to ingredients. But you may want to think beyond just the ingredients. “Clean beauty to me means that products are crafted with intention so that the ingredients, packaging, and life cycle of the product are good for both the people and planet,” says Duranski, who adds that she also seeks out certified B-corp companies as an indication of the brand’s ethos.   Hopefully these tips are a helpful starting point for your next clean beauty shopping trip. But when in doubt, you can also pick up goodies from any of the six clean beauty brands we’ve vetted below.       This standout skincare and body care line gets our vote for a variety of reasons. The products are next-level great, all things clean beauty aside. Effective yet gentle, the brand utilizes largely plant-based, botanical ingredients (the majority of which are also organic, to the clean beauty point). You truly can’t go wrong with any of them, but we’re especially partial to Skin Savior Multi-Tasking Wonder Balm ($49), Skin Dew Coconut Water Cream ($58), and Gardenia + Tea Antioxidant Body Serum ($39). There are no questionable chemicals in any of the products, which are so clean they also have the EcoCert stamp of approval. Plus, per Duranski’s point about thinking beyond ingredients, all of the products are housed in recyclable glass packaging, and the company itself is a Green America Gold Certified Business.   Try: One Love Organics Skin Savior Multi-Tasking Wonder Balm ($49; oneloveorganics.com).       This female-owned, Chicago-based company is tiny but mighty, featuring a small array of vegan facial oils and skincare tools. Not only are all of the ingredients non-toxic and natural, but the brand also places a huge emphasis on where and how it sources those ingredients. The brand never uses conventionally grown ingredients, and instead use only organic, cold-pressed oils that are ethically harvested in the wild with fair-trade practices. Sustainability is a huge emphasis for Town & Anchor as well; the packaging is recyclable and it also sells earrings made from old product bottles.   Try: Town & Anchor Vegan Anti-Aging Face Oil ($39; townandanchor.com).           “This brand sets the standard for plant-powered skincare,” says Duranski of one of her favorite clean beauty brands. “They source sustainably from their own garden or from farms within 100 miles of their lab, then they hand harvest and make their formulas in house. It’s an unadulterated product line so you’re getting the most nutrient dense skincare out there.” Given this attention to detail and quality, it’s impressive that the range is so wide; no matter your complexion concern or what type of skincare product you need, the brand has you covered.   Try: Laurel Skin Antioxidant Mask ($68; laurelskin.com).         It can be tricky to find clean makeup that actually delivers the same type and level of results as you get from conventional brands, but Ilia manages to do just that. Not only are the makeup products clean, but the brand also includes lots of skincare-centric ingredients in the formulas. The end result? Products that are not only clean, but also give you a two-for-one bang for your buck. On that note, try the cult-favorite Limitless Lash Mascara ($28) and brand new Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 ($46) and thank us later. We also appreciate the brand's commitment to minimizing its impact on the environment. Thanks to its partnership with TerraCycle, customers can mail in up to five empties each month (for free) and Ilia will handle recycling them.   Try: Ilia Beauty Limitless Lash Mascara ($28; sephora.com).     This brand offers both skincare and hair care, the latter of which we’re especially big fans of. The 100 percent vegan formulas are free of parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, and petrolatum (just to name a few things), and are also cruelty-free. Not to mention that there’s a large selection of shampoos, conditioners, and stylers (25 different SKUS, to be exact) to fit any and all of your hair wants and needs. But perhaps one of the best parts? The prices are super affordable, which isn’t always the case when it comes to clean beauty.   Try: Acure Ultra Hydrating Shampoo ($10; ulta.com).     Another one of Duranski’s picks, she lauds this brand for its use of active ingredients that deliver real results. Created as a solution for the founder, who found conventional products to irritate her rosacea-prone skin, all of the products are free of a long list of questionable chemicals. Instead, they tout ethically-sourced, vegan ingredients in the skincare and makeup. We also appreciate that you can easily find the ingredient list for each and every product on its website.   Try: Fitglow Beauty Lumi Firm Highlighter ($39; fitglowbeauty.com).  

Your kid may not be ready to give up his LEGO collection, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start eliminating plastic from your everyday life. Read on for 25 easy ways to start reducing your family’s plastic waste. From buying in bulk to swapping out your plastic straws, these ideas on how to reduce waste will start better habits and get you on the way to ditching plastic altogether.   1. Switch to paper, silicone or metal straws.   2. Bring your own bags to the grocery store (this includes your own smaller reusable bags for fruits and veggies).   3. Buy in bulk when you can, and bring your own containers. Remember to weigh the containers before checking out so the cashier can accurately ring you up.   4. Ditch the plastic sandwich bags. Use these awesome Stasher bags instead.   5. Replace plastic saran wrap with Beeswax wraps.   photo: iStock   6. Use a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated.   7. Recycle your plastic bags. Many grocery stores have collection bins outside.   8. Stop using glitter for craft projects and ask your kids’ teachers to do the same.   9. Buy biodegradable dog waste bags like these Earth Rated bags.   10. Stop using bath and body products with synthetic microbead exfoliants and opt for either natural exfoliating ingredients like scrubs with nut/seed exfoliants like St. Ive’s, or sugar scrubs.   photo: Mali Maeder via Pexels   11. Know your plastic recycling codes and what your town does and doesn’t recycle. Upcycle what your town can’t recycle: plastic containers and bottles are great for craft/paint projects, puzzle/game piece storage or bath toys.   12. Compost at home to cut down on the amount of trash bags you use.   13. Switch to compostable, eco-friendly trash bags like these.   14. Keep a set (or two) of utensils/reusable straws at work, in your purse, in your diaper bag or in your car, so you don’t have to use disposable utensils when you’re out and about. PS: Chopsticks take up a lot less drawer/bag real estate, and you’d be surprised how many things you can eat with them!   15. Join your local Buy Nothing Group (or start your own) to pay it forward and to snag gently-used goods. We love these groups especially for the baby and toddler phase when it's easy to get inundated by plastic toys and gear.     16. Switch to bamboo toothbrushes.   17. If babe loves the food pouches, but you hate the waste, research where you can recycle them via Terracycle. You can even start a collection site of your own.   18. Buy toilet paper and paper towels that are wrapped in paper instead of plastic.   19. Better yet, ditch the paper towels altogether. Use old rags or towels.   20. Say no to single-use coffee pods.   photo: Godisable via Pexels   21. Bring your own coffee mug when you order your latte at your fave coffee shop.   22. Anticipating leftovers? Bring your own to-go container for your doggy bag.   23. For the mamas, check out the Diva cup or opt for plastic-free menstruation products.   24. Stop using a disposable razor.   25. Switch to metal or steel hangers instead of plastic hangers. 26. Make your own cleaning products.   27. Cut back the amount of frozen food you buy. Not only are the wrappers plastic, but the cardboard box is also coated in a layer of plastic.   —Erin Lem and Keiko Zoll

With the number of people being hospitalized from COVID-19 rising daily, individuals around the country are blowing through their inventory of disposable garments. In order to keep this waste out of landfills, Trenton born company TerraCycle has come up with an eco-friendly solution to combat this issue.   TerraCycle’s “Zero Waste Boxes” is a way to help these disposable products (gloves, hazmat suits, hairnets and earplugs) remain out of your local landfill. This initiative gives people the option to choose from a selection of differently priced boxes. Prices range from $42 on up (depending on how much you need to recycle), covering the needs of the average family to essential businesses.   TerraCycle’s Global Vice President Lauren Taylor said, “it’s important for people to remember not to let recycling go by the wayside, especially with COVID where people are using a lot of disposable items.” Taylor also mentioned that TerraCycle offers free recycling programs on its website at www.terracycle.com. These national recycling programs provide solutions for typically hard-to-recycle waste streams. TerraCycle and Colgate, for example, have partnered up to create a recycling program for oral care product packaging, which also acts as a fundraising opportunity enabling people to raise money for a school in order to build a new “recycled” playground for children.   “I would encourage people to look into our program and find a solution whether it be the zero waste boxes or our free recycling programs,” Taylor said. The company wants to make sure that people don’t put recycling to the wayside just because of the pandemic. It is important for people to practice “green” habits so that when life returns to normal, we are not faced with another monumental problem.   If you would like more information on TerraCycle please visit their website at www.terracycle.com, or if you would like more information on TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Boxes please visit www.zerowasteboxes.terracycle.com.

If you’re like me, you’ve been pacing back and forth in your bedroom for the past few weeks unsure of what the world will look like.   It’s been helpful for me to think in terms of what I can control—my health, my productivity, but perhaps most importantly, my skincare. Spring has started to sprinkle in through our collective windows, and the time for some well-needed cleaning is upon us. This weekend, I began with my beauty products – tossing expired items, opening others – and it’s kept my mind busy and my cabinets looking a bit more tidy. Below, are some tips I have for some best organizing hacks. The act of organizing has in turn, helped declutter my own mind and it’s helped lots with my own mental well-being. Hope it helps you, too.     Take Inventory   Gather up all your beauty-related belongings and spread them out so you can see the scope of what you’re working with. For a beauty hoarder, this may mean you’re being exposed. But that’s okay! It’s good to take out everything you have and put it in front of you.   This helps for a multitude of reasons. For one, if you’ve been committed to a specific routine for a while, seeing everything you own can help inspire you to finally try a product that’s been sitting in the back rows of your cabinet. It can also push you to replace items you just don’t use. You can note this for the future and know that it’s not worth buying again. Instead, you can research and find better alternatives. A good site for discovering newness is Mira Beauty. The site is user-based and is organized by product category.   Finally, I like to group all products based on function to see what I have in excess or what I may be running low on. Now is a perfect time to get going on your spring skincare reset – and quarantining is a perfect excuse to do so.   Does this spark…joy?   Here comes the tough part. Like Marie Kondo before me, it’s time to ask ourselves which products are sparking *JOY* and which are simply filling the void. It’s important to do this for a few reasons. It sounds silly, but especially in trying times like these, but skincare is SELFcare, so take the time to really treat yourself with products you look forward to using. This doesn’t have to stop and end with how efficacious it is. You can use it simply because of the sensorial experiences: how it makes you feel, how it smells, or simply that it’s nice and comforting.   If you’re using products that don’t excite you, don’t use them! Another important reason to take inventory of your routine is that products have a shelf life and, if they’ve been sitting around for a while, they may not be as effective as they once were. Most products have an expiration date on them. Check the little jar icon (towards the bottom of most products) and it will tell you how many months the product is good for once opened. If not, check out Check Cosmetics here, and input each product.   Note that humidity does products no good and can lead to quicker product degradation.  If you think you’ve had the product opened for longer than the expiration date, it’s not the end of the world, but the product is likely not going to be as effective. Better to toss it than treat your skin with skincare leftovers.         How to organize – simplified   Now that you’ve thought about what products really get you excited to wash that beautiful face of yours, it’s time to figure out where to put everything to make it as easy as possible to use. This will be different for everyone, but look at what is necessary to keep in the bathroom and what can be kept elsewhere. Obviously, put products in places that make sense, that are easily accessible depending on when you use them.   If you use a cleanser in the shower, keep it in there. If you always find yourself slapping on a face mask before a bath, keep it in your bathroom cabinet. If you like applying a body lotion before bed, tuck it on your bedside table for easy access. Generally, the more you can keep products in cool, dark, dry places, the better they are for the product’s integrity. However, if you’re consistent in using that face oil after a bath, you’ll use it all before it degrades from any environmental exposure. Just don’t leave it there for two years and expect it to work the same.   Saying goodbye!   Hopefully you’re able to de-clutter your beauty routine a bit—finding what works, organizing it to fit your habits—and now you’ve got some products to get rid of. You could throw them in the trash, but it’s 2020 and Mother Earth does not deserve that ignorance. Although beauty products are notoriously hard to dispose of, as they’re usually made of mixed materials which cannot be traditionally recycled, there are ways to properly dispose of products without clogging nature’s arteries.   Organizations like Terracycle are out there to make recycling as efficient as possible, so gather your beauty products to recycle, find your local Terracycle drop-off (check online for specific locations), or check them out directly to see how to get them your junk. I like to keep a bag underneath my sink and throw empty, expired, or unloved products in as I come across them. Once it’s filled to the brim, I’ll take it to my local drop-off and may just reward myself with some more skincare. So long, fare thee well, goodbye!

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A New Jersey company which has been recycling for almost two decades is looking at how COVID-19 is affecting that practice, and they say it’s not all good for the environment.   Tom Szaky founded TerraCycle in Trenton in 2001, and the company recycles everything from fluorescent light bulbs to Capri Sun juice pouches.   Szaky says there is an upside to the global shutdown caused by the pandemic.   “Maybe one positive lesson we can get from COVID is that as we’ve been slowing down our economy, the world, the planet has become better. Climate change has gone in the right direction, nitrogen levels in cities are decreased,” he said.   He says we are all consuming less, which is good because consumption leads to many environmental problems like deforestation and the waste crisis.   But Szaky adds recycling on many fronts has stopped because products can’t be sterilized, and we are relying more heavily on disposable packaging.   Szaky urges people to continue reducing and reusing as the pandemic rolls on.  

The way we do things is changing so quickly in this crazy world in which we live. As we navigate the ins and outs of our new normal, I want everyone to remember to keep recycling. To do our part in making the world a better place to live, Nyquist Elementary School is part of the TerraCycle, Plant Green and ColorCycle programs. We are trying to save the planet one brigade at a time. We are slowly getting people to recycle the unique items that can be reused and kept out of the landfills.   TerraCycle is a program that not only recycles those hard to recycle items but also offers fundraising opportunities. While the school has bins in place at their facility, Emily Miller felt a need to make them more accessible to the community to help raise awareness on the importance of recycling. You will find bins for Eos products at Spire Credit Union, Colgate oral care (accepting all brands of toothpaste tubes, floss containers and packaging) at the Isle Dentist office, personal care beauty products (accepting lipstick tubes, mascara tubes, pump tops from lotion bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.) at JJ’s Shear Beauty. Isle Hardware Hank has a bin for Febreze products such as air freshener cartridges, plugins, packaging, and Febreze one trigger spray bottles. On your next stop to Thompson’s Lake Country Drug, be sure to bring your disposable razors to be recycled. They will accept all brands, packaging and disposable razor heads. The following items can be recycled at the school. GoGo Squeez pouches and caps, Contacts blister packs and contacts, Arm & Hammer and Oxiclean Laundry soap pouches, L.O.L. Surprize Packaging, accessories and products, #6 Rigid plastic cups (Solo) and not Solo, Popsockets, Swiffer refills, and Bunch O Balloons packaging, balloons, stem, etc.   The ColorCycle program accepts all brands, sizes and types of markers. You may drop your old, dried up markers in the bin at City Hall.   Plant Green offers recycling for ink cartridges. Those items may be dropped off at First National Bank.   For more information on what products can be recycled, please visit the bin locations. Each bin contains an information sheet on what they accept. I will also add information to my webpage on the district website. I want to thank Emily Miller and the area businesses for partnering with Nyquist Elementary on this project and helping to keep our Earth clean and beautiful. I encourage you to start collecting these highly used items and drop them off on your next trip to town. As one person, you may feel that you cannot make an impact, but as a community, we can start to change the world. Now, imagine if everyone in every community participated. Imagine the impact that would make on our environment. I hope you will get out and help save our planet. Afterall, Earth is for everyone.   Guest columnist Melisa Maxwell is the dean of students at Isle Public Schools.

The way we do things is changing so quickly in this crazy world in which we live. As we navigate the ins and outs of our new normal, I want everyone to remember to keep recycling. To do our part in making the world a better place to live, Nyquist Elementary School is part of the TerraCycle, Plant Green and ColorCycle programs. We are trying to save the planet one brigade at a time. We are slowly getting people to recycle the unique items that can be reused and kept out of the landfills.   TerraCycle is a program that not only recycles those hard to recycle items but also offers fundraising opportunities. While the school has bins in place at their facility, Emily Miller felt a need to make them more accessible to the community to help raise awareness on the importance of recycling. You will find bins for Eos products at Spire Credit Union, Colgate oral care (accepting all brands of toothpaste tubes, floss containers and packaging) at the Isle Dentist office, personal care beauty products (accepting lipstick tubes, mascara tubes, pump tops from lotion bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.) at JJ’s Shear Beauty. Isle Hardware Hank has a bin for Febreze products such as air freshener cartridges, plugins, packaging, and Febreze one trigger spray bottles. On your next stop to Thompson’s Lake Country Drug, be sure to bring your disposable razors to be recycled. They will accept all brands, packaging and disposable razor heads. The following items can be recycled at the school. GoGo Squeez pouches and caps, Contacts blister packs and contacts, Arm & Hammer and Oxiclean Laundry soap pouches, L.O.L. Surprize Packaging, accessories and products, #6 Rigid plastic cups (Solo) and not Solo, Popsockets, Swiffer refills, and Bunch O Balloons packaging, balloons, stem, etc.   The ColorCycle program accepts all brands, sizes and types of markers. You may drop your old, dried up markers in the bin at City Hall.   Plant Green offers recycling for ink cartridges. Those items may be dropped off at First National Bank.   For more information on what products can be recycled, please visit the bin locations. Each bin contains an information sheet on what they accept. I will also add information to my webpage on the district website. I want to thank Emily Miller and the area businesses for partnering with Nyquist Elementary on this project and helping to keep our Earth clean and beautiful. I encourage you to start collecting these highly used items and drop them off on your next trip to town. As one person, you may feel that you cannot make an impact, but as a community, we can start to change the world. Now, imagine if everyone in every community participated. Imagine the impact that would make on our environment. I hope you will get out and help save our planet. Afterall, Earth is for everyone.   Guest columnist Melisa Maxwell is the dean of students at Isle Public Schools.