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Paying and Scraping in Pursuit of Zero Waste

James A. Anderson

April 22, 2019 |

Next City |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Worcester, Massachusetts

Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) is a model that charges residents of a given city for the trash they throw away, aiming to spur people to decrease the amount of waste they dispose. Acting like a utility payment, this model has been successfully implemented in a handful of cities, even decreasing trash by half in Worcester, Massachusetts. Some cities have even aimed for zero waste by adding in composting programs - though there’s still a long way to go.

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The Country Winning The Battle On Food Waste

Max S. Kim

April 08, 2019 |

The Huffington Post |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: South Korea, Seoul

In South Korea, a combination of grassroots movements and government campaigns have dramatically reduced the country's food waste by 95% (about 400 metric tons a day). Residents are required to buy special biodegradable bags, which serves as a tax that finances 60% of the city's food processing. It's a pay-as-you-waste tactic that also prompts citizens to find creative ways to recycle and compost, and special weighing machines encourage them to extract the moisture first, saving even more money on collection costs.

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Straws Made of Seaweed Could Replace Their Plastic Nemesis

Madison Dapcevich

March 14, 2019 |

EcoWatch |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

An innovative solution to the massive amount of plastic in our oceans is a new startup called Loliware. It produces 100% biodegradable straws "that look, feel, and act like plastic" but are actually made of seaweed. Not only do the straws decompose in a few weeks and are gluten-free, non-GMO, and sugar-free, but the process of creating them sequesters carbon dioxide, which further increases their positive environmental impact.

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Cove launches the first 100% biodegradable water bottle

Dawn Hammon

March 07, 2019 |

Inhabitat |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

Cove is a new water bottle brand hoping to disrupt dependence on single-use plastics. Cove is made of PHA, which is compostable and biodegradable. Still in its early stages, it hopes to manufacture across the U.S. to minimize distribution costs.

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Guardian to be first national newspaper with biodegradable wrapping

Jim Waterson

January 11, 2019 |

The Guardian |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, London

National newspapers and mailers could do a lot to reduce plastic waste. Take a look at the UK's Guardian. In response to reader comments, the newspaper has stopped wrapping its deliveries in plastic, switching instead to a biodegradable material made from potato starch.

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This company converts food byproducts into new, healthy food

Ben Paynter

January 02, 2019 |

FastCompany |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Renewal Mill, a food company based in Oakland, is taking on food waste in a big way. The company produces goods from previously wasted byproducts, such as a fiber-rich, gluten-free flour that was once a wasted tofu byproduct. Partnering with other companies, such processes could use close to 100 percent of raw materials.

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How farmers in Punjab are using the practice of mulching to fight climate change

Ankita Anand

November 30, 2018 |

Daily O |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, Sunam, Punjab

In Punjab's Sangrur district, some farmers are choosing to mulch rather than burn crop residue. The benefits of mulching are two-fold: increased soil health and reduced air pollution. But a lot of growers in the area still burn, and many are frustrated that the government offers no incentives to mulch.

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How to beat air pollution? Stop burning the fields

Rishika Pardikar

October 16, 2018 |

The Guardian |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: India, Bangalore

Autumn in India is known for the season of bad air quality, largely in part due to stubble-burning, a practice used by farmers to dispose of crop waste. To counter this practice, private companies are coming up with ways to essentially recycle the crop waste which not only helps the environment but also is a more profitable approach for the farmers.

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Sonoma County experts among others who say it's time to rethink recycling

Stephen Nett

September 01, 2018 |

The Press Democrat |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Petaluma, California

Many companies are increasingly becoming concerned about the environmental impact of using plastic containers and packaging. One company in Petaluma has spent over a decade creating alternatives that are compostable and recyclable.

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Boulder now saving more than half of trash from landfill

Shay Castle

August 14, 2018 |

The Denver Post |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boulder, Colorado

Boulder is often referred to as one of Colorado's most progressive cities, so when the city passed the Universal Zero Waste Ordinance, many local businesses decided to take the policy a step further by eliminating their use of plastics altogether. What started as an effort put forth by local store branches such as PrAna and Lululemon has quickly scaled to a citywide effort eliminate non-compostable or non-recyclable trash output.

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