Thoughts on Waste Reduction, Zero Waste, Sustanability and Such
In our trash talking blog, we write about trends, tips, and issues in the waste and environmental sustainability world. We hope you'll find something useful to help your company be more sustainable. If you want us to explore something or ask a question, contact us!
Featured Blog
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Looking Back and Ahead This year marks our 24th year in business. It’s one of those milestones that naturally invites reflection. We started as a small Maryland-based company with a clear belief: if you understand your waste, you can change it. Twenty-four years later, that idea still drives everything we do. And if anything, it’s…
Past Insights
Establishing a Reliable Baseline
Data: we all want it; we all need it. It is no secret that data drives us. From return on investment to calorie counting, data sets are helping us make better decisions at work and home. As we become more reliant on data, the question remains, “what do you do with data you…
You Can’t Manage What You Don’t Measure
We can’t imagine this is the first time you’ve heard, “you can’t manage what you don’t measure”. This is particularly important when discussing waste tracking. Waste, in general, is a pennies business, but those pennies can add up very, very quickly and disrupt your budget if left unchecked. Just as disposing of waste…
An Organic Waste Collection Journey
A Focus on Organic Waste The USDA estimates that 1/3 of all available food supply is wasted, which accounts for 21% of all the waste in the US sent to landfills or energy-recovery incinerators according to the EPA. Innovative tech companies along with local and state governments are making significant investments in solutions…
Designing a Food Waste Collection Program
The USDA estimates that one-third of all available food supply is wasted, which accounts for 21% of all the waste in the US sent to landfills or energy-recovery incinerators according to the EPA. Unlike the Mobro incident in 1987 that kick-started recycling in the US, the coming food waste revolution looks to be…
Pitching The Business Case for Sustainability
“How much is all this sustainability stuff going to cost?” In a World of growing resource and environmental crises, cost may be the least of a corporation’s concerns when required to adopt sustainability principles to ensure long-term viability. Water scarcity is probably the most publicized concern that has many industries scrambling to innovate.…
TV has Gotten Trashy!
Has everyone been watching Human Resources on Pivot TV? We have, and so far we’re loving it! The show is based on the inner workings of the innovative recycling company TerraCycle. Located in Trenton, New Jersey, TerraCycle’s lineup of spunky employees are led by their CEO Tom Szaky, who founded the company at…
Feeling the Pressure to ‘Go Green’?
The pressure on businesses to go green is red hot. Employees and community members are increasingly expecting companies to function as community stewards; while at the same time, executives and business leaders are looking to capitalize on sustainability’s public relations and cost-saving opportunities. Regardless of what has been accomplished, the pressure doesn’t let…
DC Looks to Improve their 16% Recycling Rate
On July 14th of 2014, DC passed two pieces of legislation, setting the stage for progression towards a more sustainable waste management system. The District currently only recycles 16%… that’s barely a third of MD’s recycling rate. Here are a few key accomplishments of the two Acts. Solid Waste Hierarchy Establishing a hierarchy…
The Pursuit of Zero Waste Maryland
The State of Maryland is serious about zero waste, evident by the release of the Zero Waste Maryland draft plan in April 2014. Zero Waste means “designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn…
