Reduce, Reuse, Refill

Trying hard to recycle less and reuse more makes perfect sense when you realize that reusing uses up fewer resources than recycling. Filmmaker Alex Eaves tells us what led him to make a documentary about reuse. Read More

Karen Schiff is excited about a new kitchen consignment store. She used to buy low quality kitchen products new and had to replace them a few years later. Now she buys durable products that have a longer lifespan. Read More

Reuse expert MaryEllen Etienne of the Reuse Institute tells us how she turned her love for reuse into a career. She reminds us how easy it can be to find creative ways to reuse, and invites us to break our single-use habits. Read More

We’re all familiar with the Capital One slogan, “What’s in your wallet?” reduce-reuse-refill tips icon But I didn’t expect waste-watcher-in-chief, Jacquie Ottman to pose a similar question over lunch: "What's in your purse? What reusables do you carry that help you prevent waste?" Read More

Our family tradition of wrapping presents in fabric gift bags began as little brown paper bags. When my parents were first married in 1942, they lived in a basement apartment, the ceiling crisscrossed with pipes. For one of Mom’s birthdays, when Pop couldn’t afford much, he got her a bunch of little gifts, “Ning-A-Nings,” as we call them. He put them in little brown paper bags and hung them with string on the pipes. When Mom came home from work, she was greeted with all these little bags of surprises. She loved it! We had paper bag birthdays from that point on! Read More

Avoid disposable cups altogether by simply finding a reusable coffee mug that you love. Save time, money and prevent waste by bringing your own cup to work. Read More

Colin Beavan, aka No Impact Man, shares a personal story about how to have a meaningful Christmas. Hint: It doesn't include exchanging a lot of presents! Read More

I have a confession to make. Last Thursday, this was my lunch: chicken and vegetables, and a side of brown rice, emerging from a case of plastic and paper like Metroyshka dolls. I hate waste. Can’t you tell? Read More

How can we reduce the 50 billion paper cups that American send to landfill every year? Drew Beal's 'Kill The Cup' campaign makes a game out of switching disposable coffee cups to reusable mugs. Who will be the ultimate cup killer? Read More

The Tiffin Project of Vancouver, Canada partners with local restaurants to promote the use of reusable to-go containers and reduce food packaging waste. Read More

Sustainable fashion isn't just about spending hundreds on ethically-sourced clothing and shoes. Eco-fashion maven Ruth Penniston, provides three great tips for a greener wardrobe on a budget. Read More

Disposable Pens Are No Small Problem According to the EPA, Americans throw away 1.6 billion disposable pens every year. Add the rest of the world, multiply by over 50 years of writing with disposable pens, and that’s a lot of metal and plastic waste ending up in landfill!  I suspect it’s just the tip of the iceberg, given the piles of disposable pens that many of us haven’t thrown out yet. Not to mention the refillable pens that we never take the trouble to refill. Read More