Category: Home and Garden

Both manufacturers and consumers need to pay attention to changing lithium-ion battery regulations. Several changes are coming that will determine how batteries or the products they’re in are shipped.One of the biggest involves new International Air Transport Association (IATA) rules on shipping lithium-ion batteries in or with devices or vehicles. As of January 1, 2026, […]

Almost 10 years ago, the EPA reported that 25% more waste was generated between Thanksgiving and January 1st. If you consider the increase in online shopping, it’s likely much higher.When you buy gifts in stores or online, wrap them, and give gifts during the holidays, the amount of trash sharply increases. Protect the environment by […]

Americans consume approximately 84.3 million tons of plastic annually. Worse, waste generation stands at 73 million tons. Plastic use has tripled since the 1980s, and much of it doesn’t get recycled correctly or at all. According to Statista, PET, HDPE, and LDPE/LLDPE are the three most recycled plastics. PP, PS, PLA, and PVC are barely or […]

Every year, every American throws away an average of five pounds of trash and sometimes recyclables. Of the 292.4 million tons thrown out in 2018, only 94 million tons were recycled or composted. It’s not enough, and part of the problem is that some items that aren’t easily recycled end up in the trash.Have you […]

When an item in your blue bin shouldn’t be in that bin, two things happen. First, improperly recycled items can damage the recycling equipment. Second, workers have to remove the incorrectly recycled items and move them to trash bins to be hauled to the landfill, which raises operating costs.Items that are typically accepted in blue […]

Vermont became the first state to mandate composting of food scraps. While this was the first state-wide mandate, there are cities across the U.S. that have also discussed or implemented laws requiring food waste to go into composters instead of the trash. California is set to start its mandatory food waste composting requirement in 2022. You’ve […]

According to the non-profit Mattress Recycling Council, every year Americans dispose of more than 1.5 million mattresses. Some of the components in a mattress can be recycled, yet few states actually have laws in place.Take a look back at mattresses over the centuries. People used to sleep on piles of straw, leaves, wool, or hay […]

In an older home, lighting fixtures are a leading cause of poor lighting, high electricity bills, and household waste. Whether it’s a stormy day and too dark to keep the lights off or it’s late at night and the sun set hours ago, you need the lights on, but it also drives up your electricity […]

As the weather starts to warm and flowers begin to bloom, it’s natural to feel the need to give your home a thorough cleaning. To get you started, here are 5 easy tips for sustainable spring cleaning. Give your extra stuff a new home. There’s nothing worse than clutter to make a space feel messy. […]

Half the battle is knowing what can and can’t be recycled…