Public recycling may not have caught up, but almost everything is technically recyclable. An easy solution for our most common waste items, even in an uncertain recycling system, is TerraCycle’s free recycling programs. Sponsored by brands committed to making typically unrecyclable items (such as chip bags, contact lenses, even cigarette butts) nationally recyclable, these programs allow any individual, school, business or community group to reduce landfill waste and earn points for charity.

You can offset the waste created by health and wellness products that do not yet fit into the current recycling system by choosing brands committed to taking responsibility for their packaging. For example, NOW works with TerraCycle to make sure its pouches and packaging are 100 percent nationally recyclable, also offering a solution for its line of natural toothpastes.

Recycling is one of the best things you can do for the environment. It reduces landfill waste and diverts litter from the world’s oceans (hit with 10-20 million tons of plastic pollution every year) and prevents them turning into microplastics, tiny plastic particles that impact animals, natural ecosystems and, ultimately, humans. The eco action also conserves natural resources, offsetting the need to mine the planet for new, “virgin” materials.

Here are my 20 easy eco-friendly lifestyle hacks for reducing waste in your home. These green tips and tricks will help you live a more green and minimalist lifestyle. A lot of people think that making eco-friendly life changes are expensive and require specialty products. The truth is there are easy and affordable swaps you can make. It is NOT difficult or expensive to be eco friendly.

#PlasticFreeJuly aligns itself with global conversations on plastic, and TerraCycle has some tips to help you make better decisions in some of the places where plastic might still be clogging up your habits.

TBG offers and hosts many and varied events. Over the last two years we have implemented the following practices and procedures to reduce the ecological footprint of these events... We initiated recycling programs through Terracycle to further divert waste. Staff and volunteers can recycle coffee packaging and used writing instruments from home and the office.

CBC Radio interviewed Joy Nemerson about Zero Waste Boxes and the future of recycling at the Sustainable Brands conference in Vancouver last week. Listen to the segment at 2:30:00 - 02:34:36 via the link.

For Dennis Durnin, these carefully curated (and often local!) products are part of what makes the Lynn Steven boutique so distinct... Lynn Steven has also embraced the TerraCycle recycling program so customers can bring their empty containers back to the store—and ultimately prevent buildup in the landfills. TerraCycle provides several zero-waste boxes to choose from and Dennis Durnin says the one at Lynn Steven is specifically for personal goods—like hairdryers and bathroom accessories.

Change can be good for San Francisco. The City’s green building codes are creating more energy efficient buildings, solar-ready roofs and electric-vehicle charging stations. But many residents of San Francisco’s high-rise apartments are still expected to sort and haul their trash to different locations in garages and basements. It’s inconvenient, confusing and sometimes impossible. Although almost all apartment buildings in The City compost, according to recycling provider Recology, San Franciscans generally have trouble finding the green bins. Last week, I had dinner with a friend who assured me she had to toss her leftovers in the garbage. Often, this means property managers have hidden the bins behind a locked door or left them unused and unloved in a random alley.