Recycling isn’t the same as it used to be. A few years ago, China accepted much of the world’s plastic, textile, and paper recycling. But in 2018, China tightened restrictions on what it would accept due to the high level of contaminated material sent by the U.S.   Now, it’s time for the United States to take responsibility to recycle these streams of waste domestically in order to improve the “materials security” of the nation. That means keeping and processing more recyclable material inside the U.S., which will also reduce the carbon footprint of the current approach to recycling.   In the United States, plastic recycling is becoming a challenge, especially number 5 plastics. We’ve collected a few solutions to help you keep these plastics out of the landfills.   What Are Number 5 Plastics?   The recycling symbol on the bottom of a plastic product does not necessarily indicate that the item can be recycled. That number surrounded by chasing arrows is a resin identification code and tells users what kind of plastic they’re holding.   The number 5 with the recycling symbol indicates polypropylene, often just shortened to PP. This plastic type is particularly hard and heat resistant. It’s often used in prescription medicine bottles, yogurt cups, hummus tubs, single-use cutlery, and some packaging for personal care products like deodorant, lotion, or shampoo.   Lids of single-use drink bottles are often also made of number 5 plastic as well as a great deal of single-use laboratory and medical supplies at hospitals, clinics, and labs.   Number 5 plastics were widely accepted in both curbside and drop-off recycling centers before China’s National Sword policy was introduced in 2018. That is when china stopped accepting our plastic waste for recycling.  

Recycling Mail-in Programs

  Currently, there a few mail-in options for recycling polypropylene. Do check with your local solid waste district to check local options in your region before going to this effort and expense.  

Gimme 5 Program

  The Gimme 5 program is run by Preserve, a company that makes fully recycled plastic home and kitchen goods. Formerly, Preserve offered recycling drop-off locations for polypropylene at Whole Foods stores but discontinued the program in 2019. A limited number of stores still accept plastic “disposable” cutlery only. Preserve now asks interested recyclers to mail in their number five plastics. They welcome medicine bottles, yogurt containers, hummus tubs and more. Preserve also closes the lifecycle loop with their mail-in toothbrush takeback program.   Note: During the COVID-19 crisis, Preserve has had to temporarily pause their mail-in recycling program and toothbrush takeback program. See what kinds of number 5 plastics they accept and save your plastics to mail in when pandemic restrictions have lifted.  

Matthew 25: Ministries

  The international humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization Mathew 25: Ministries accepts clean, empty pill bottles. They welcome prescription medicine bottles as well as small pill bottles that may be too small to recycle curbside. The ministry reuses bottles in countries where such supplies are limited and recycle those they cannot use.  

TerraCycle

  The giant in recycling the unrecyclable arena is TerraCycle. This company’s motto is “eliminating the idea of waste” and they have programs that allow you to recycle almost any type of waste.   TerraCycle does not have a recycling program specifically for number 5 plastics, so you’ll have to hunt around their website for the best solution. There are free recycling programs as well as Zero Waste Boxes, which can be filled with plastic and mailed to Terracycle, that you must pay for. If the bulk of your number 5 plastics come from a specific brand, check to see if there is a Terracycle brigade program available that allows you to recycle the products for free.   Simply keeping plastics separate makes a big difference to the success of the recycling process. Consider ordering a kitchen separation box or boxes for specific items like personal care products, plastic packaging, or vitamin bottles (which also accepts additional medicine packaging) for a not-so-small fee.  

Keeping Number 5 Plastics Out of the Trash

  We’re experiencing a plastics crisis in the United States and around the world.   We encourage you to do what you can to eliminate plastic waste. One good place to start is to avoid plastics, like polypropylene, that can’t be recycled in your normal curbside or drop-off location.   If possible, skip the plastic and buy your yogurt in bulk or in glass containers — or make your own! Order a three-month supply of medicine instead of one, cutting down on packaging while saving a trip to the pharmacy.   You might also consider, Loop, a TerraCycle company that delivers household products and food in reusable containers. When your goods are used up, you send the container back, and they send you a new one. A zero-waste loop! Loop isn’t in every U.S. state yet, but it’s expanding and still adding countries.   Additionally, look for ways to reuse or upcycle your plastic containers. We love the idea of making suncatchers out of clear lids and playing a plastic bottle bowling game. Your number 5 plastic yogurt containers also just make great organizers!   It’s also a good idea to contact the manufacturer of your favorite product and ask them to come up with more earth-friendly packaging. You could even coordinate with the Earth911 community through the Earthling Forum to organize a mass email writing campaign!   Feature image by Artur Konik from Pixabay   

Giada Lubromirski spent the early parts of her career as a stylist and gallery director. However, after having children, Giada realized she wanted to have a hand in helping make the world a better place. Now as a mother of 2, Giada is working as an activist and is on the board of several sustainability programs, and is working on making the fashion landscape greener.  

I am aiming to live a more conscious lifestyle, which is not always easy with the expectations of the fashion world, but even harder as a mother. You are a mother of two. How do you share your passion with your sons? Are your sons aware of today’s issues?

Our sons are 9 & 6 years old and are now very aware of the environment. They know what “waste” means. We started to teach them about “waste” early on. It’s an easy word and it’s an easy concept to understand. They are totally aware of how their actions affect mother earth. It’s a beautiful thing I am proud of as a mother. At times, they are more aware than us, and as their parents, it brings such serenity knowing they are aware of these important issues that will shape everyone’s future, especially theirs.   With that in mind, we have fun with it. We believe style and trends shouldn’t be a compromise to mother earth and so we like to show how we can live our daily lives, content, knowing we haven’t purchased anything new to fill “satisfied or enriched”. We have challenged ourselves to feel that buying something used is still buying something new for yourself. Does that make sense? ha! They know there’s way too much on this planet already because we show them and educate them. When we go places they identify waste on their own and ask questions. Never ending questions hahahahaha!   We invite our kids to be part of our daily activities whenever possible. Focused on environment, in the past, they’ve experienced many climate marches, community beach clean ups and initiatives. This has allowed for them to use their creativity to spread their messages on how to “take care” of mama earth. Even things as simple as taking care of the street you live on with your neighbors, can teach a child a lot. Whether it’s cleaning up the street, weeding or planting new flowers in our community garden, they are part of everything, whether it is watching or doing.

How do you recommend informing our kids about the environment, global warming etc. to make them aware but not scare them? Are there any books or programs you enjoy with your kids on these issues?

Inform your kids through your daily actions. They absorb everything and what they observe, they will live by as they grow into their own individuals. It will be etched in their soul. They are curious and will ask deep questions. Answer them truthfully, don’t sugar coat everything. They deserve our honesty more than ever at this time. We also talk a lot about “feelings of fear” when finding out the truth and how it is okay to feel fear, but then it is important to turn that feeling around with positive actions. It’s as simple as that.   To be completely frank, whilst I am doing research and watching documentaries or footage organizations send me, sometimes the kids stumble upon things that may not be completely appropriate for their age, but allows us to open wide truthful dialogue about the circumstances the environment and the animal world is facing at this time.   We believe some of these experiences are shaping their curiosity to the natural world. They are eager to know because they are connected more than adults. They are constantly trying to think of ideas to help make things better. This curiosity and eagerness for solutions then crosses over to their school work and projects. We see this a lot.   They don’t really watch much TV, but we do allow them to watch a movie or nature shows and series during the weekend. They love David Attenberg and all the BBC specials he’s done, such as Blue Planet, The Planet Earth series etc… Our kids love anything National Geographics related. They also love the cartoon the Wildcratts (I love it too ha!).   We also like to look up eco science projects on youtube. We like to challenge ourselves with our creativity by using things we find around the house or in the backyard. We create colorful “jarnados” (tornadoes we make with reusable jars, baking soda, colors and wake ingredients from our cupboards).   Any books about nature, the environment, the ocean, deep sea creatures, are all subjects they love to dive into. We have a huge list of favorite books (See attached photo and pdf list for a few suggestions).

What are your top 3 tips for teaching kids about how to be sustainable? How/Do you see your kids taking sustainable measures on their own?

1. Teach by “doing” —Meaning teach them by showing them how you take care of the planet at home, at work and during your daily lives. 2. Clean a beach with your kids—This simple family activity is a great one for any age. It’s fun, it can become a “game” of who can find more items, and it is truly educational. I have watched so many kids’ reactions during beach clean ups and they are stunned because most had never noticed how much garbage humans leave behind. They can also connect the dots and see “what we buy” can directly affect a bird, a marine animal and be toxic to the living organism on the beach. 3. Involve them in your daily activities whenever possible. For me personally, the weekends are my days to dedicate to them and involve them in what I want to do or create. I try to think of ideas prior to the weekend, but we often “make up” projects. Many times they join me at prapping my vegetable & herb gardens, dehydrating apples to make apple chips, saving orchids, making bird houses, making paper airplanes and having contests, picking up litter in the near by forest. Taking nature walks is a big one and they love to play “poo sticks”(as winnie the poo) at the nearby creek. Playing games outside (we love frisbee and soccer) is also a daily activity they love. Most of the time, our kids use their own imagination and look for natural or found objects outside or inside the home. My 9 year old made an entire puppet show out of card board pieces he found in our recycling from some packaging. When he showed me this, I got so inspired and said “let’s all make a character!” We have many moments like these. We are blessed to have a private backyard, which allows them to experience nature, outdoor adventures, animals and can play outside.

What are the biggest challenges you face being a mom trying to maintain a sustainable household? Food waste for picky eaters? Growing out of clothing too quick? etc.

The biggest challenge for me personally as a mom, is to decrease the plastic that still comes into our household. Now with the Coronavirus, it will be way more challenging. No matter how hard we try, we still haven’t reached a zero waste lifestyle with the entire family. It’s very hard. From the kids bringing in useless plastic waste from their schools and birthdays, receiving unexpected packaging inside boxes, gifts, the few plastic items we still have to buy due to emergencies or necessities, to Alexi traveling and bringing in “travel waste”, has definitely proven to be my biggest challenge as far as keeping a sustainable household.   For non recyclable plastics, we have joined Terracycle’s various programs. For those who do not know what Terracycle is please check them out! I highly recommend joining one of their free programs or if you can, purchase their all in one box. They recycle non recyclable items such as film plastics, tooth brushes, toothpaste tubes, dirty diapers and all things that are non recyclable (ex: potato chip bags, bubble wrap, plastic wrap, beauty products, plastic tubes and pumps etc…). They have free programs and they also sell boxes online which allow you to recycle everything. We like to support them so we always get the “all in one” box.   In our home, food waste that happens due to picky eaters = composting at home or parents eating left overs ha! As for clothing, we haven’t purchased anything new due to two reasons: 1. I have various hand-me-down circles with friends and school parent friends 2. I shop at used whenever I need to. My go to places are: Once upon a child (all over USA), Clementines (nyc), Jane’s Exchange (nyc) Ebay (online), Etsy (online), thrift stores, and flea markets etc.. They grow out of everything so fast, so when you go to these places the clothes are like new! I am also obsessively building on their vintage tshirt collection because that is a personal obsession of mine haha!

What are the top three things you think kids can do on a small scale to aid environmental change?

1. They can help you do “projects” at home or outside. This can involve going to the farmers market, meeting the farmers that grow your food and then cooking at home for the family. 2. Get them involved in community projects. This can be anything from a beach clean up or street clean up with their friends or classmates. 3. Become an “ Earth champion” in class or at school. My 9 year old son Sole Luka inspired his class by starting a TerraCycle box inside the classroom (for non recyclable school items and snack packaging). My youngest son Leone (6 yrs) started a marker and crayon recycling box, which he then sends through the Colorcyle program led by Crayola, because markers and crayons are non recyclable items. The great part about this program is that they will recycle any marker and crayon brands.  

What tips would you have for mothers to stay as sustainable as possible? I know you dress your sons in vintage and second hands, but how do you do with toys etc?

It’s the same with toys too. Everything we buy for them are used toys and books from Once Upon a Child, Ebay, Etsy, flea markets, thrift stores and through hand-me-downs circles. Everyone should know about Once upon a child, it’s honestly the best place for used everything for kids.

Talking about second hand and vintage, what are your favorite shopping destinations for kids?

I am a little nutty in the sense that I love to look for the “finds”. Boys fashion is hard, so I thrive in trying to find them cool vintage sweaters and then get the “necessities” at the used and consignment store : Once upon a child, which is a U.S franchise which has used toys, clothes, books, puzzles, halloween costumes, sports gear, baby & child furniture and lots more! I mix it up between hand-me-downs, once upon a child, flea markets, thrift stores and online vintage shopping. It’s also because I have fun and it’s my passion that I like to try different things, there are so many possibilities and options out there for us not to buy new, it’s easy now. It used to feel hard but now it feels super easy.   During Covid, I will have to buy my oldest son more Ebay and Etsy used clothing, but that’s ok. I always message the seller to avoid plastic packaging and tape if possible. Sometimes they listen and sometimes they don’t, so if we get non recyclable packaging we TerraCycle.

Eight years ago, environmental activist Lauren Singer set out to make reducing waste accessible.   A college student at the time, Singer learned about living waste-free from blogger Bea Johnson. Johnson helped the zero-waste movement gain traction, but she lived in a California suburb with children in a spacious house. Singer, meanwhile, was navigating the hustle and bustle of the city, while attending New York University.   "I had to apply this concept to a lifestyle that felt unique and relatable to me," Singer told Global Citizen.   The idea led her to create the educational platform Trash Is For Tossers for people who might not have the time or resources to figure out how to adopt low- and zero-waste practices on their own.   To Singer, living zero-waste means "not sending anything to a landfill or to discard anything with the intention of it not being repurposed or reused — basically not creating trash."   Trash that ends up in landfills emits methane gas, which is a major climate change offender.   While eliminating all waste might seem intimidating at first, starting small is the secret, according to Singer.   "When you zoom out, the average American makes about four and a half pounds of trash per person per day," she said. "Over the course of a year, that would be like eliminating thousands of pounds. When you look at the little things that you do — like say no to a plastic bag, or buy something in bulk as opposed to in packaging — these little changes that over time add up and result in not making any waste."   After launching her platform, Singer gained recognition in 2014 for fitting all the waste she produced in two years in a 16-ounce Mason jar. She also worked as a sustainability manager at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. Certain tools, like reusable water bottles or stainless steel food containers, helped make a waste-free lifestyle easier, she realized, but they were pretty hard to find. The companies making these products were having a hard time scaling their businesses, and sustainable companies weren’t getting much financial backing, she said.   To bring all her favorite companies together, Singer founded Package Free in 2017. The company sells waste-reducing products online and at a brick-and-mortar shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.   "I started Package Free to make those really simple swaps easy for people — switching from a plastic toothbrush to a bamboo one, from shampoo packaged in plastic to a shampoo bar," Singer said. "We have alternatives for just about anything that you would need to buy packaged."   The stores has kept 100 million pieces of trash out of landfills to date.   While running the store and online platform, Singer continued squeezing all the waste she accumulated into one Mason jar until 2020. But in the wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, reducing waste has required a bit more effort. On the one hand, Singer has found herself eating out less and having more control over the waste she’s contributing. Buying groceries, however, has presented a bigger challenge.   "During COVID, there have been inconveniences that have been created, like you can't buy groceries in bulk anymore," Singer said.   In an Instagram post on March 21, Singer shared a photo of the food she purchased in plastic packaging to take precautions and stock up on items she might need, if stuck in her home.   "We’re all navigating this situation together, and while I’m far from perfect, and have made VERY imperfect decisions over the past few weeks, I am trying to be the best for myself, my community, my company and team, and our collective humanity," she wrote.   Once lockdowns are eased and Package Free re-opens, it will help members of its community divert any packaging accrued during the pandemic from landfills. The retailer works with waste management company Terracycle to collect non-recyclable waste and turn it into reusable raw materials for new products. Online, the store is selling zero-waste boxes to help consumers ensure items, like disposable gloves and kitchen household products, get recycled.   "Any choice to reduce your waste and live a more sustainable lifestyle is positive," she said. "Don't be discouraged by what you're not doing, be motivated and inspired by what you are doing."

With grocery shelves quickly emptying out, bulk bins closed, and reusable grocery bags banned, you’ve probably found a lot more single-use packaging entering your home than usual during the COVID-19 quarantines. But if you do your best to live a zero-waste lifestyle, you may be wondering if plastic film recycling is possible.   While recycling plastic food packaging and plastic film bags isn’t as simple as recycling other materials, there are certainly ways to recycle plastic film and keep it from going to the landfill.   Read on for everything you need to know about recycling plastic food and film packaging. Plastic film refers to soft, flexible plastic packaging — most typically, film packaging means the thin, stretchy single-use plastic used to make shopping bags, produce bags, dry cleaning bags, and more. However, plastic film can also refer to other slightly less flexible plastic packaging, such as the plastic bags used to package snacks, frozen food, lettuce, and more.  

Is plastic film recycling possible?

  Most municipalities do not recycle plastic film curbside — so don't put any plastic film in your home recycling bin — but luckily, many municipalities require grocery stores and pharmacies above certain sizes to offer drop-off bins for plastic film recycling. Generally, big-box grocery chains are a safe bet when looking for film recycling, such as Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods. If you don’t see a film recycling bin when you enter the store, ask at the customer service desk.   The availability of plastic film recycling varies from city to city, so you’ll have to do research to find out which local store is your best bet for dropping off your plastic film recycling. You can look up local drop-off points on Earth911. According to Earth911, the following items can generally be recycled at drop-off film recycling bins:  

• Grocery and retail bags
• Newspaper bags
• The outer plastic wrapping from napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, and diapers
• Bread bags (and other thin, stretchy bags, such as those packaging rice or sometimes cereal)
• Dry cleaning bags
• The outer wrapping from bulk beverages
• Produce bags
• Bags labeled No. 2 or No. 4

  Before dropping any of these bags off for film recycling, make sure they are completely clean and dry. If any of your plastic was used as food packaging, simply wash it and let it dry before recycling.    

Plastic film recycling during the coronavirus is possible, but can wait.

Most people are limiting grocery store trips during the coronavirus pandemic, and many people are also staying out of grocery stores entirely. So while you may otherwise bring plastic film to drop-off bins fairly often, it’s understandable if that’s not a possibility right now.     The organization Plastic Film Recycling is urging people to recycle plastic film packaging only when and where it’s possible to do so safely. According to the organization, some stores have even paused plastic film recycling for the moment. So for now, Plastic Film Recycling recommends collecting your plastic at home until the pandemic slows down and going into stores is safer. In the meantime, use one plastic bag to store all the other ones that you plan on recycling. According to Earth911, unless it is labeled with No. 2 or No. 4, the following items cannot be recycled at supermarket drop-off bins:  

• Food packaging or cling wrap
• Prepackaged food bags (such as frozen food bags, lettuce salad bags, etc.)
• Plastic film that is contaminated with paint or glue

  But just because you can’t recycle the above items in stores doesn’t mean you can’t recycle them at all.  

How to recycle non-recyclable plastic packaging.

  If you are doing your best not to send anything to landfill, there are a few options for the plastic film that can’t be recycled in grocery store drop-off bins. The best option in the U.S. is TerraCycle.   If you’re not familiar, TerraCycle is a company offering various national recycling programs, allowing people to recycle numerous otherwise non-recyclable items, from snack packaging to cigarette butts to industrial waste to Swiffer pads to pens to baby food pouches to Brita filters to coffee pods to razors…  the list goes on. Most of these programs are free, thanks to brand sponsorships — and some of the programs are not brand exclusive.   For example, TerraCycle’s Snack Bag Recycling Program accepts snack bags of all sizes and from all brands. To participate, all you need to do is register for a free TerraCycle account, sign up for the program you’d like to use, print out the prepaid mailing label, attach it to a box filled with your clean and dry plastic waste, and put it in the mail.   If you have a variety of plastic waste and want to send it all in together rather than contribute to several programs, another great option is TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Boxes. These boxes come with a fee (usually starting around $100), but can help people recycle some very random items that don’t have brand sponsorships, such as hair (yes, hair), laminated paper packaging, office supplies, paint brushes, party decorations, sporting goods, stuffed animals, used chewing gum, and more. There’s also TerraCycle’s All-In-One Zero Waste Box, which allows you to recycle any non-organic and non-hazardous waste. This box starts at $199 — but before you shell out the cash, consider asking your employer to invest in one at work or asking an administrator to invest in one at your school, to help reduce their environmental impact.   You can also do some research to see if any businesses in your area have communal Zero Waste Boxes — for example, in New York City, both locations of the zero-waste shop Package Free have these boxes available for customer use.  

How does plastic film recycling work?

According to Plastic Film Recycling, plastic film is often broken down into small pellets, which are then turned into bags, containers, pipes, crates, and more. Plastic film is also often turned into composite lumber, which can then be used to make outdoor structures such as decks, benches, and playground sets.   Plastic waste recycled through TerraCycle are typically melted and turned into pellets, which are then molded into various new recycled plastic products.   The best way to prevent contracting or spreading coronavirus is with thorough hand washing and social distancing. If you feel you may be experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, which include persistent cough (usually dry), fever, shortness of breath, and fatigue, please call your doctor before going to get tested. For comprehensive resources and updates, visit the CDC website. If you are experiencing anxiety about the virus, seek out mental health support from your provider or visit NAMI.org. 

Forced to skip a springtime series of public coffee pop-ups it had planned to introduce itself to coffee drinkers in the Washington D.C. area, a new direct-trade-focused company called Rako Coffee Roasters has launched with online sales instead, offering free local shipping.   Since December of last year, Rako Head Roaster Melissa Gerben has been operating a pair of Lorings — one S35 Kestrel and one S15 Falcon — in a 5,000-square-foot facility in Lorton, Virginia, quietly supplying restaurants, offices, embassies and other regional wholesale accounts.   As Rako co-owners and sisters Lisa and Melissa Gerben entered the coffee industry first as importers, working directly with farmers in Ethiopia, the pair now maintain those partnerships as well as new ones with producers in Guatemala, which was the country that inspired their coffee journey in the first place. “We went on a particularly memorable family trip when we were teenagers to visit our grandparents who live in Antigua, Guatemala, and spent time visiting the mountainside coffee farms,” Lisa Gerben told Daily Coffee News. “We learned about the harvesting, processing, quality control and export process. From then on I knew that I wanted to start importing and roasting specialty coffee.”   Lisa Gerben’s extensive background in international trade, focused primarily in bulk food including specialty green coffee, now blends well with the expertise of her sister, whose 14-year stretch in the food-and-beverage industry culminated in a fixation on the unique chemistry and terroir-related attributes of coffee. Though both sisters were avid home roasters, Melissa went on to obtain SCA Roasting Certification from the Academy of Coffee Excellence (ACE). “Everyone that we work with learns everything, whether that is sensory training, roasting, packing and more,” said Gerben. “We also recognize that people have interests and skills unrelated to their job titles and we work to grow that in any way we can. Everyone on our team has been working on exciting projects during this pivot, from developing the brew guides, to photo and visual projects, to marketing and design to roasting, packing and shipping solutions.”   Beautifully designed brew guides feed into Rako’s holistic vision of quality that extends from practices on the farm to the treatment of people at every stage of the chain, and now into the cups brewed carefully at home. “Coffee is only as good as the person brewing it, and that’s why we focus so much on attention to detail in our brewing methods,” said Gerben. “Great coffee is equally about sustainable growing and sourcing practices, working with each coffee to develop roast profiles that bring out its full potential, and then developing brewing techniques that highlight all the unique flavor notes.”   Rako focuses mostly on single-origin offerings. Through Gerben’s background in international trade, Rako launched with direct relationships with farmers in the Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Guji, Limu, Kaffa and Harar regions of Ethiopia. The company also now partners with farmers in the Antigua and Acatenango regions of Guatemala, and has “made great progress” with producers in Indonesia, Kenya, Burundi and Colombia, according to Gerben. For any coffee not directly traded, Rako works with importers equally committed to improving the quality of living in coffee-growing regions.   At the Lorings, Melissa Gerben’s goal is to find for each coffee a profile that’s approachable no matter how it’s brewed but that reveals greater complexity when coaxed with the right recipe.   “For example, I love the peach notes that come out when our Yirgacheffe is brewed in a Chemex, but I make sure that you don’t have to brew it in one particular manner in order to fully appreciate the coffee,” Melissa Gerben told DCN. With every online order, Rako includes a postage-paid envelope for customers to return the empty coffee bag, which the company recycles through the TerraCycle Zero Waste program. The company is also donating 10% of every sale to Chef Erik Bruner-Yang’s Power of 10 crowdfunding initiative, which provides employment to laid off restaurant workers and meals to first-responders and community members affected by COVID-19.   Lisa Gerben said the company remains hopeful that its plans for face-to-face retail engagement and progress in the D.C. area can still go forward within the coming year.   Said Gerben, “The safety of our team and the community is our top priority, and we are crossing our fingers that it will be safe to resume plans for our pop-up series this summer.”

The vapor industry should take responsibility for the waste it generates. By Michael McGrady Regulators across the United States are moving to reduce the waste brought on by e-cigarettes and vaporizers. Joseph Hubbard, a spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one of the agencies overseeing hazardous waste disposal, says that there are specific criteria to dispose of product waste responsibly. In the real world, ultimately, e-cigarette waste disposal is the obligation of the manufacturer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) even requires producers to conduct environmental impact studies as part of their premarket tobacco product applications before it allows vaporizers on the market. Hubbard notes that vapor products are likely to be subject to the same waste rules and guidelines in place for lithium-ion batteries in the retail environment. “When lithium-ion batteries are removable from the e-cigarettes, [the] EPA recommends that the batteries be recycled or disposed of through special battery or electronic recycling disposal programs,” he says. Vaporizer batteries and electronic components should be left at legal receptacles. The nicotine in the e-cigarette is more complicated. Hubbard recommends that companies use existing hazardous waste collection options, such as pharmaceutical take-back events or household hazardous waste collection. “If no take-back program is available for the nicotine pods or e-juice portion of the e-cigarette, [the] EPA recommends that this waste be mixed with an undesirable substance and placed in the household trash,” he says. Vapor waste products are also subject to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste regulations. The RCRA gives the EPA the ultimate authority to control hazardous waste “from the cradle to [the] grave.” This includes waste generated during manufacturing, transit, treatment, storage and disposal. Additionally, e-cigarette hazardous waste is regulated by “who” is disposing of or recycling the product, according to Hubbard. “Any nonhousehold facility that generates hazardous waste, including retailers of e-cigarettes, is regulated under [the] RCRA,” he says. At state and local levels, environmental regulators are also working to curtail vapor product waste. A recent Capitol News Illinois (CNI) article discussed the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA) efforts to respond to what it characterizes as the next vaping crisis: toxic waste. The idea for the policy investigation began when IEPA employee James Jennings decided to research the waste reduction and compliance policies related to e-cigarettes. “Even though [vaping] is advertised as a relatively innocuous alternative to smoking, there are hazardous waste, universal waste and plastics components of this that have real effects downstream,” Jennings states in his report. According to him, the problem requires the industry and authorities to reform their current waste management practices. The industry’s role The vapor industry is keen to reduce its environmental impact. Many companies, including large tobacco firms that sell vapor products, have incorporated environmental protection into their corporate social responsibility programs. The world’s largest publicly traded tobacco firm, Philip Morris International (PMI), for instance, has stated it will comply with all recommended governmental and industrial standards. For many years, PMI has been included on the Climate A-list, a ranking put together by CDP Worldwide that discloses the climate justice efforts of cities and corporations. Altria Group, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco and Imperial Brands are also listed on the Climate A-list. Katerina Zizlavska I Dreamstime.com Smaller companies are also doing their share. GreenSmartLiving, an e-cigarette distributor, for example, takes pride in standing for climate justice—and it does so without the billions of dollars that the larger firms have at their disposal. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, GreenSmartLiving’s vaporizers and disposable pod products are all recyclable. The company also focuses on promoting smoke-free products and has an environmental business model. “We feel that we are at a crucial point regarding our environment,” says Randon Jorgensen, director of digital marketing for GreenSmartLiving. According to its website, GreenSmartLiving’s corporate responsibility includes philanthropic endeavors such as donating to environmental charities. “We must look out for future generations so that they can experience and appreciate the same things [as] previous generations,” Jorgensen says. “Our goal has been to help in any way we can. GreenSmartLiving was developed to create quality alternatives for adult smokers while giving back to the planet and reducing waste.” For every online purchase, GreenSmartLiving donates a tree to the Trees for the Future initiative. To date, the company has given more than 71,897 trees, according to Jorgensen. GreenSmartLiving also donates to other environmental nongovernmental organizations. Jorgensen says that the company provides its e-commerce customers a 20 percent discount on future orders if they send their used products back for proper disposal through the company’s waste reduction and recycling program. “We offer recycling programs to our online consumers as well as our retail chains,” he says. “Over the past decade, we have recycled over 1 million cartridges. As a result, we potentially have helped remove over 24 million [cigarette] butts from the environment.” A private sector solution? GreenSmartLiving has challenged the environmental practices of other industry leaders, including the large vapor and traditional tobacco companies, according to Jorgensen. He says GreenSmartLiving stands out from the crowd with its unique approach to waste management. “We have never targeted children or nonsmokers; we simply want to offer another alternative to smoking and one that allows you to control your nicotine intake by giving options to work your way down to zero nicotine if you so choose,” Jorgensen says. There are also companies outside the traditional vapor industry that want to help curb e-cigarette waste. TerraCycle, a waste and recycling management company in Trenton, New Jersey, for example, develops and sells an environmentally friendly electronic cigarette waste disposal box—the Zero Waste Box. “We’ve seen a pronounced increase in sales for the electronic cigarette Zero Waste Box,” says Alex Payne, a TerraCycle publicist. “Considering vaporizers’ surge in popularity in the recent years, more and more consumers are beginning to become concerned with the waste produced by these devices, especially the all-in-one units that contain a battery and e-liquid that are disposed of after a single use.” TerraCycle offers a convenient recycling program for nicotine vaporizers and components, according to Payne. If the vaping trend continues, he says, manufacturers and retailers should implement their own recycling solutions to meet the environmental challenge presented by vapor product waste.

While health care workers are struggling to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE), some of us are littering it at our local supermarkets’ parking lots. This contradicts the purpose of current sanitary precautions by exposing other people to the used gloves or masks—and potentially the coronavirus. When used properly, gloves and masks are advantageous for protecting both ourselves and others. That also includes properly disposing of them. People may be littering their PPE because they genuinely do not know how to dispose of them, or because they are just being inconsiderate.   Nonetheless, there is a lot of confusion around how to dispose of PPE, especially gloves. Can they be recycled? Can we compost them? Or do they belong in the trash? The answers to those questions go beyond “yes” and “no.”    Nitrile and vinyl gloves are synthetic and cannot be recycled or composted. They should be disposed of in the trash. Even though latex gloves are considered biodegradable and “environmentally safe,” they are also disposed of in the trash after use. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, wearing gloves should not substitute for hand-washing. It is still important to wash your hands and disinfect frequently used surfaces regularly. Like gloves, masks also belong in the landfill after usage. The World Health Organization recommends people wash their hands for twenty seconds after they dispose of their masks.   For people who want a more sustainable approach to disposing their PPE, Kimberly-Clark Recycling Program will collect your PPE to recycle the raw material into eco-friendly products. However, this service is only for medical facilities. TerraCycle offers a glove recycling program for individuals who invest in their collection box, ranging from $136 for the small box, to $257 for the medium box, and $420 for the large box. The boxes filled with used gloves are shipped for free to TerraCycle, where they undergo a separation process and are then molded into recycled plastic products. To continue the service, the boxes must be reordered. So yes, we can recycle our gloves, but additional investment and labor follow. Regardless of whether or not you are an avid environmentalist, the supermarket parking lot should not be where you dispose of your PPE.   During the time when this article is being written, there are 66 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Milpitas. To prevent the number of cases from increasing, all Milpitas residents must take action, starting with themselves. Before you leave your PPE on the shopping cart or in the parking lot, remember that the essential employees who are working at the supermarket are already constantly exposed. They have to put themselves at unnecessary risks by having to clean up after you. These employees may have underlying conditions, they may be elderly, and/or they may live with someone who falls under either or both of these categories.   The bottom line is, most of us do not have the luxury of purchasing a cardboard box to recycle our PPE, so do the next best thing and throw your PPE in the trash.   By Hope Nguyen

Many brands are continuing their focus on sustainability despite the strains placed on them by the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the setbacks businesses are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic, many fashion and beauty brands are continuing their focus on sustainability for Earth Day 2020.   Sustainability has arguably become the most important issue in fashion over the last few years and many emerging and established brands are shifting their manufacturing processes and charitable outreach to meet the demands of their customers to be more eco-friendly.   Many fashion brands are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day by launching sustainable collections, such as A.P.C. and Baja East, which are going into their archives and utilizing deadstock fabric in new pieces, while others like Fabletics and Naked Cashmere are launching their first sustainable collections.   Here, WWD rounds up how 16 fashion and beauty brands are celebrating Earth Day 2020.   1. Seven For All Mankind   Seven For All Mankind is launching an environmental platform in May tied to the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The brand is unveiling Sustainable For All Mankind, a commitment to ensure more than 50 percent of product will be created from sustainable properties by 2023. The brand will introduce a way to track progress on materials and manufacturing.   The label is launching its 080 jean collection, reissuing the style released in 2000 to now be made with sustainable organic cotton and recycled elastane.   2. A.P.C.   Contemporary fashion label A.P.C. is continuing several of its sustainable practices for Earth Day. The brand is offering its latest collection of patchwork quilts and quilted pillows made from leftover textiles created by longtime collaborator and designer Jessica Ogden.   The brand is also continuing its other sustainability commitments, including its Recycle for Credit and Butler Program. The recycling program allows customer to bring in their used A.P.C. items to be exchanged for store credit. The brand sends the used clothing to its recycling facility where it is broken down into fibers and reused in other garments.   The Butler Program allows customers to bring in their old jeans to be exchanged for a new pair at half-price. The old pairs will be mended, washed and marked with the initials of the prior owner.   3. Baja East   The fashion label is utilizing archival and leftover fabric from the last six years to create a collection of pajama sets and pillows produced in Los Angeles.   The collection includes deadstock fabric in floral and animal prints and ranges in price from $75 to $95.   4. Billabong   Billabong is teaming with Dr. Seuss Enterprises for an Earth Day collection that takes inspiration from the iconic children’s book, “The Lorax.” The collection of T-shirts, board shorts, and sweaters is produced using recycled and sustainable materials. Prices range from $17.95 to $59.95.   5. Boscia   Plant-based beauty brand, Boscia, is teaming with TerraCycle for a permanent recycling program. The program asks customers to mail in three to five empty, full-size Boscia products to be recycled. The brand will then send the customer a full-size bottle of its Luminizing Black Charcoal Mask.   6. Cuyana   The leather accessories brand is continuing its mission of sustainability by launching a line of leather-care products to help customers preserve their leather goods so they can keep reusing the items. The line includes a leather spot cleaner and a leather conditioner — both priced at $12 — which help clean and restore used leather.   7. Diesel   The fashion label is launching its Respectful Denim collection for Earth Day, which utilizes 40 percent less water in the production process. The collection offers three denim styles for men and one for women that range from $298 to $348.   8. Eberjey   The intimates line has released two prints — pineapple and watermelon print — for its Giving PJ Collection. For every set purchased, the brand plants a tree through its partnership with One Tree Planted.   9. Fabletics    Fabletics is celebrating Earth Day with its first eco-conscious collection of athleticwear made from recycled materials. The collection of sweaters, shorts, T-shirts and sweatpants ranges in price from $34.95 to $69.95.   10. G-Star Raw   The denim label is tapping a group of fashion designers and artists — couturier Karim Adduchi, fashion designers Lisa Konno and Ferry Schiffelers, visual artist Victor de Bie, hat maker Yuki Isshiki and artist Iekeliene Strange — to create one-off pieces using denim waste materials to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The creations range from couture-inspired dresses to intricate headpieces. The pieces were slated to be on display at an upcoming exhibition, but the brand had to cancel its plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.   11. Kenneth Cole   Kenneth Cole is updating three of its best-selling sneaker styles — Maddox, Kam and Liam — with sustainability in mind for Earth Day. The updated styles are designed with materials like 100 percent recycled polyester laces, 100 percent recycled neoprene, rice husk, recycled rubber grindings and micro-suede, among other recycled materials.   12. Naked Cashmere   The fashion brand has launched its first ever recycled cashmere collection, which is made from post-consumer yarn that has been shredded and re-spun into 100 percent cashmere yarn. The collection includes tank tops, shorts, sweaters and pants ranging in price from $100 to $245.   13. Pangaia   Sustainable fashion label Pangaia has teamed with SeaTrees, an environmental organization, to help restore coastal ecosystems. For every product sold on the Pangaia web site, the brand will plant one mangrove tree in the West Papua region of Indonesia.   14. R+Co    The hair-care brand launched its Super Garden CBD Shampoo and Conditioner on April 1 in celebration of Earth Month. The products are the first time the brand has used post-consumer resource packaging, which is said to decrease plastic consumption and use of fossil fuels in the manufacturing process. R+Co will also be transitioning its existing packaging to this material in the coming year. The products retail for $36 each.   15. Ren Skincare   The beauty brand is donating 15 percent of profits on Earth Day to the Surfrider Foundation, which works to protect beaches across the country.   16. Teva   The shoe brand launched a sustainability initiative earlier this year that will have 100 percent of shoe straps produced with recycled plastic. This commitment is said to prevent nine million plastic bottles and 172 tons of plastic from going into landfills this year.   For Earth Day, the brand is hosting a sweepstakes where a winner will receive a pair of Teva sandals and a $2,000 donation to an environmental organization made in their name.  

What products should you choose to compose a more responsible toiletry bag? How to avoid single-use plastic? What are the pitfalls to avoid ? I used my own experience to answer these questions that we all ask! 5 years ago we decided to pay more attention to our daily consumption. We started to eat less meat (because we were big carnivores) and to pay more attention to our races in general . When we left to live in Montreal , we further slowed down our consumption of meat, but for the rest it was "complicated" because all of our landmarks were shaken up, we no longer knew what to buy and where ... When we returned to Paris, start 2018, I was aware that it was not enough . So I decided to go further in this process and do everything to avoid consuming single-use plastic while traveling but also at home.

Is it complicated to zero in on waste?

Some people do not dare to start because they think that "it's complicated", that "it takes more time" or that "it costs more" ... etc We were among these people, so I think we are well placed to testify that no: zero waste is not that complicated , that it does not take more time and above all that in the long term it costs less ! Example: The average price of a disposable toothbrush is 2.5 €. The Caliquo rechargeable toothbrush is € 2.95 and refills cost € 1.25 per unit. Result after a year: if you change your head three times, rather than buying 3 toothbrushes, you are a winner! Finally,it is generally more practical when traveling because liquid products are replaced by solid products . This means that: no more hassle of liquid spilled in your bag / suitcase and above all more restriction of 100ml for cabin baggage.

Why did I choose to speak on this subject?

This is the first blog post where I speak on the subject of more responsible consumption and I hope there will be others. I am not an expert, I am far from perfect, but it is a subject that fascinates me and where I constantly learn new things . To start, I chose to tackle our hygiene and beauty products and therefore our toiletry bag. For some products we are not on zero waste at 100% because we would have to take everything in bulk and sometimes it does not exist for hygienic reasons. But I mainly selected products with packaging in paper, cardboard or reusable plastic. The goal is of course to avoid single-use plastic packaging. Promised my ideas are: easy, fast and economical ! All the products I'm talking about here have been bought and tested by us for several months, even several years for some. For those who follow us on Instagram, you have surely seen our stories “Ecology passer”. It is through them that I shared our new purchases and especially gathered your advice which helped me a lot. So I chose to do this article in the continuity of these stories. I hope that you will discover things thanks to this article and especially I hope to learn new things thanks to you!

Presentation of the products to compose a greener toiletry bag

1. the soap

On the soap side, we alternate between Marseille soap from Corvette and “Nile” soap from Sloe . The first time, we bought the Nil soap in its reusable aluminum box so now we just buy the refill.

The Corvette

Marseille Soap La Corvette has been produced since 1894 at Savonnerie du Midi in Marseille , using the traditional cooking method of cooking with cauldrons. The Corvette is one of the 4 traditional Marseille soap manufacturers members of the UPSM "Union of Marseille Soap Professionals". Economical, ecological and very effective, Marseille soap is used both for personal hygiene (skin, hair and teeth) but it can also be used to clean dishes or detach your clothes while traveling. It is therefore a great multi-use product, essential at home and / or in your toiletry bag ! ☞ Find all the tips on the Corvette blog: www.la-corvette.com . As for Sloe, it is a small brand that we discovered in December 2019 during a Christmas concept store. It was there that we met the founders:  Fanny and Bertrand . They are sparkling and have a real desire to change things and I admire them very much for that! Besides, I love how they define their brand: “Sloe is for everyone who is aware of the climate emergency but who does not always know where to start. […] In short, Sloe is for all those who want to stay clean without dirtying the planet ”!

Why we recommend the brands Corvette and Sloe

Sloe uses the cold saponification method , a  unique, ecological, artisanal and ancestral production  which guarantees the best possible conservation of the properties of the vegetable oils used. And Corvette , makes real Marseille soap according to the traditional method in cauldrons (hot saponification) , based on vegetable oils without perfume, coloring or preservative.

2. shampoo

As for shampoo, I currently have a treatment for eczema, given by the doctor, which requires me to use a shampoo bought in pharmacies. Hi the stressed chick, ah ah! But here are the ones that friends have tested and advised me:

• the solid shampoo "Elbe" Sloe
• the  solid shampoo with almond milk to Breathe
• and if you want a smaller format there is the travel version at Pachamamaï

I'm thinking of testing Sloe's after confinement, so I can give you a return before summer!

3. the toothbrush

At first I started with the idea of buying a bamboo toothbrush then Chrystelle from the travel blog Wait & Sea made me realize that I had to be careful with bamboo objects. Some dishonest people are riding the ecology wave to make money…. So small certified ecological farms and / or fair trade are no longer sufficient to meet the great demand for bamboo and we are witnessing in particular in Asia, the deforestation of other species to make gigantic plantations ... I discussed this with Fanny , the co-founder of Sloe , for their part they selected bamboo "Moso" to make their toothbrush. Moso bamboo grows in abundance and its culture does not require water. In addition it is a bamboo which is not consumed by pandas, so the impact of its culture is less for the environment.

Which brand of toothbrush with interchangeable head should be chosen?

My choice therefore turned, on Chrystelle's advice, to the bioplastic toothbrush with the interchangeable head . So when the hairs start to do the hop face I just change my head! And what's great is that you just have to send the heads to Terracycle, who takes care of recycling them. I bought our two toothbrushes from Altermundi because it was the only "responsible" store I knew near us. Finally, I chose those of the Lamazuna brand but with hindsight, and after a discussion with our friends Chloé & Gurkan from the blog Van life goes on , I realized that I had been tricked! I paid € 7.90 for the Lamazuna toothbrush while the Caliquo brand does the same at 2.95 € . The beginner's mistake ... But at least you are warned!

4. the toothpaste

After the toothbrush, my second fail was: the toothpaste ... I bought at the same time as our toothbrushes the solid toothpaste on a wooden stick of the Lamazuna brand . The peppermint taste was frankly not bad. But the solid toothpaste on a stick was a really bad idea . Firstly: since you have to wet the head of your toothbrush to rub it on the toothpaste, the toothpaste is wet ... So after that you have to wait for it to dry before putting it in your toiletry bag. So not ideal for travelers. And secondly: after a while it falls from the stick so it becomes hell to use the little bits of toothpaste that remain. Since that day, I learned from my mistake and so I turned to a solid toothpaste in a reusable aluminum box. I chose Sloe's because they are the few to offer toothpaste lozenges and frankly I love the concept: you crunch and you rub. It's easy, it lathers just enough and you have the feeling of freshness thanks to the natural mint flavor! Perfect !

5. the deodorant

For the deodorant I use the “ Superstar ” from the Canadian brand Routine. that I had in a box during our trip to Calgary. I love its creamy texture which I find super easy to apply. Unfortunately the brand is not distributed in France… There is only one European distributor which is located in Denmark, so we will see if one day we go there, I will make myself a stock. So when it is finished I will use Sloe's “Louga” deodorant cream .

6. cotton swabs and ear picks (oriculi)

I bought a metal oriculi two years ago in supermarkets but I can't find the extra washing experience. So I bought bamboo cotton swabs at Altermundi but it was quite expensive: € 4.90 per box of 100. We finally opted for biodegradable paper cotton swabs which cost around € 2 per box. 200.

7. washable cleansing cottons

Two years ago I invested in a kit of washable cleansing squares in eucalyptus, with a washing net and a travel kit at Emma's Trends . Personally I use this kit as storage at home, but not when traveling because it is a little big knowing that I use one square per week. I take a few squares in my toiletry bag, depending on the length of my stay. Note that there is also a glove version if you prefer! To wash them, nothing simpler I rub them by hand with soap. And if they are still stained I use baking soda, it helps to re-whiten them.

8. products for making up, removing make-up and moisturizing the skin

So, friends, it's now that I'm going to need your advice! Let me explain the situation to you: I wear very little makeup and besides I think I started to wear makeup around 16 and that since my routine hasn't really changed… Basically I use a moisturizer as a base , a good-looking powder, a black pencil and a mascara. And sometimes I put on a little red lipstick to spice it up a bit. So as much to tell you that my makeup usually lasts two years! But here I use a little the same brands since I was 16, which are big brands known to all and which are far from being green… So I need your advice to know which brands of cosmetics more ecological to choose ? Same make-up removal side I have used make-up removing milk for a long time, now I use micellar water but apparently it is not great for the skin (and it is in a plastic bottle). So I was advised to buy Jojoba oil to remove my makeup . In which I can dilute a few drops of Tea Tree essential oil to disinfect the skin. What do you think ?

9. feminine protections

Adios tampons, panty liners and disposable towels! I bought a menstrual cup of the brand “BeCup” in supermarkets two years ago and frankly to try it is to adopt it. When traveling you just have to think of having a water bottle to clean it in the toilet when you have no access to a tap… But otherwise it's super practical, I no longer have the little irritations that I sometimes and above all I produce less waste. And for those who wish, you can complete the cup with washable panty liners . Otherwise, you can also invest in washable sanitary towels made of organic cotton and / or menstrual pants . I love the brand “ in my pants ”, I follow it on social networks and I find it really hot! (I did not expect to find washable sanitary napkins… Ah ah). I have never tested their products but I find that they have succeeded in modernizing female protections . It's design, while protecting your body and the planet! So it's threefold cool!

10. sun protection

It's difficult to find a solar range with refillable containers. Personally I use the EQ brand sun and after-sun range because I know that at least the cream respects corals. EQ is  certified ORGANIC by Ecocert® and labeled Cosmebio® so it allows to reconcile skin protection and ocean protection ! In addition, all of their products are PETA certified. That is to say that they do not use any components coming from animals and that the products are not tested on them. For the body I use SPF 30 sunscreen to protect my skin from the sun. And for the face I had the combistick index 50 that I had trouble spreading ... Suddenly I traded it against the golden stick SPF 50+ which I clearly prefer, because it does not make a white mark. This format is often used by surfers and I find it perfect for hiking! On the after-sun side, I use the sublimating moisturizer  which hydrates my skin well while leaving a delicious smell of coconut.

For further…

As I said above, I am not at all an expert in zero waste. I chose to do this article on "how to compose a greener toiletry bag" to help you in your research of clean and nomadic products. And above all, to avoid you making the same mistakes as me. There are no small gestures when we are more than 7 billion to do them!   Here are some sites to help you in your zero waste approach:

• Zero Waste France
• Zero Waste Home by Béa Johnson (I recommend his book)
• the workshops of the Maison du Zéro Déchet in Paris

I hope this article has helped you find the right products for your needs. If you have any advice, don't hesitate to write them in the comments , I would be happy to include them in this article! And if you see new topics to cover here, or if you have ideas on a future eco-responsible subject on which you want me to write, I'm all ears!