Forest fire ablaze By Nicole De Santis During September we celebrate Climate Week; what better time to reflect on how your waste reduction efforts are going so far in 2026, and to see where you can make some more planet friendly changes this year. As we all know, our climate is under attack resulting in rising temperatures and increasingly erratic weather, and could use our help! Below is a list of some easy actions we can all take to round out the year in a more climate fri

By Sarah Currie-Halpern The last two years have seen an impressive leap forward in research concerning microplastics and nanoplastics, and what these tiny synthetic particles do to our bodies. Truth be told, it’s not looking great. First published in 2024, a New England Journal of Medicine study found microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in carotid artery plaques, the fatty deposits that build up over time and lead to strokes. Additional studies have suggested a further link

As we head into the summer season we wanted to help share some ways to enjoy a more sustainable summer. If you’re looking for ideas for starting a new hobby or activity, read on about the benefits of repair cafes and how you can learn new skills. To celebrate Plastic Free July with us, check out the sections on food packaging and joining litter cleanups, and definitely don’t miss out on our first Plastics’ Impact on Health & Climate training happening later this month. Repair

By Ushma Pandya Mehta Every conversation about sustainable materials inevitably ends up turning into a conversation about how to get rid of plastic. It’s not hard to see why. Plastic waste is arguably the most pressing issue for waste reduction advocates, with 20 million tons of plastic waste entering the environment every single year. Plastic waste disrputs everything from human fertility (via microplastics) to marine biodiversity. Something must be done, advocates agree. B

By Nicole De Santis There has been a lot of news lately about the dangers of plastic. Microplastics are being found in humans, animals, waterways, and the air. There is a lot of research currently being conducted to determine just how dangerous this is for the health and well-being of the planet, and the humans and non-human animals and creatures that inhabit the earth. Hearing about the dangers of plastic and plastic pollution can be scary. Let’s face it; plastic is all aro

By Sarah Currie-Halpern AI waste is fast becoming the preeminent environmental problem of our time. Right? To begin understanding AI’s environmental impact, we first need to acknowledge that we’re missing the full picture. How much water AI removes from the water cycle is still debated, as are the technological benefits AI might have on ecologically restorative or sustainability efforts. This technology arrived and became central to environmental debates almost overnight. No

by Sarah Currie-Halpern & Nicole De Santis Being a parent with a commitment to a low waste household can be challenging. Normalizing a low waste lifestyle is an important step for the climate and for our families. I remember before I had kids going to a friend's daughter's 3rd birthday party. An enormous pile of gifts grew in the corner as more guests arrived. Later I watched the unwrapping, amazed as the young child grabbed the gifts and ripped the wrapping off, barely glanc

Electronic waste piling up with other garbage By Ushma Pandya Mehta It’s hard to discuss electronic waste without sounding alarmist. The statistics are certainly sobering. According to the UN , e-waste is rising at a rate of 2.6 million tons per year, having leapt 82% between 2010 and 2024 alone. Experts predict e-waste generation to hit 82 million tons by 2030—which is not only a huge increase in volume from 2024 (62 million tons) but tantamount to billions of dollars of sti

By Sarah Currie-Halpern In the space of a decade, extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws have transformed from a niche environmental advocacy topic to a new and multinational legal reality. Companies around the world are juggling mandates to use sustainable packaging materials and cover some of the costs of waste management, including collection, sorting, and recycling. And as is often the case when a sustainability measure of this scale approaches widespread implementat

Robotic sorting of materials at a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) By Sarah Currie-Halpern In a perfect world, 2026 would be the year we cut global plastic waste in half, clean up the Pacific Garbage Patch, address microplastic pollution in our waterways, solve every recycling backlog, and, well, the list goes on. Part of what makes working in waste reduction periodically frustrating is the slow pace of change. Waste reduction advocates everywhere have learned to love steady

By Nicole DeSantis, Tenant Engagement Manager, Think Zero LLC 2026 is fast approaching, and the beginning of the New Year is a great time to make some environmental goals and resolutions! Reducing food waste is a huge benefit to the climate and it also saves money! Every year, millions of tons of food are wasted, contributing to the rise of methane emissions that threaten our planet's climate. But what if you could be part of the solution? By adopting smarter catering practic

2025 lays bare the recycling industry’s economic woes By Ushma Pan dya In a perfect world, recycling and the circular economy would deliver on the simple promise of trash becoming treasure over and over again. In our world, it’s a little more complex than that. Environmental action doesn’t run on altruism. Recycling’s ongoing efficacy depends on its status within the broader economic system. To work, there must be a genuine downstream demand for recycled material. To create