The Benefits of Plastics Recycling: Why Recycle Plastics?

One good reason to recycle plastic is that there is just so much of it.
Plastics are used to manufacture an incredible number of products we use every day, such as beverage and food containers, trash bags and grocery bags, plastic cups and utensils, children's toys and diapers, and bottles for everything from mouthwash and shampoo to glass cleaner and dishwashing liquid. And that's not even counting all the plastic that goes into furniture, appliances, computers and automobiles.

The Need for Plastics Recycling is Growing
As the use of plastics has increased over the years, they have become a larger part of the municipal solid waste (MSW) stream—growing from less than 1 percent in 1960 to approximately 12 percent in 2008.

As an example of how and why plastic waste is increasing, the Beverage Marketing Corporation reports that the average American consumed 28.3 gallons of bottled water in 2006, up from 1.6 gallons in 1976. The United States is the world's leading consumer of bottled water: Americans buy 28 billion bottles of water annually, and 70 to 80 percent of those bottles end up in landfills.

Recycling Plastics Conserves Energy and Natural Resources
Recycling plastics reduces the amount of energy and natural resources (such as water, petroleum and natural) needed to create virgin plastic. According to the American Plastics Council, the production of plastics accounts for 4 percent of U.S. energy consumption, and 70 percent of plastics in the United States are made from domestic natural gas.

Recycling Plastics Saves Landfill Space
Recycling plastic products also keeps them out of landfills and allows the plastics to be reused in manufacturing new products. Recycling one ton of plastic saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space.

Recycling Plastics is Relatively Easy
Recycling plastics has never been easier. Today, 80 percent of Americans have easy access to a plastics recycling program, whether they participate in a municipal curbside program or live near a drop-off site.

According to the American Plastics Council, more than 1,800 U.S. businesses handle or reclaim post-consumer plastics. In addition, many grocery stores now serve as recycling collection sites for plastic bags and plastic wrap.
Plastics Recycling: Room for Improvement
Overall, plastics recycling is still relatively low. In 2008, only about 6.8 percent of plastics in the municipal solid waste stream were recycled—about 2.1 million tons of the 30 tons of plastic waste generated that year.

Source  :http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/benefits-of-plastics-recycling.htm?utm_term=environmental%20recycle&utm_content=p1-main-4-title&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=msn&utm_campaign=adid-30f48f70-efe1-46c1-8b2a-43558dc3b173-0-ab_msb_ocode-12618&ad=semD&an=msn_s&am=broad&q=environmental%20recycle&dqi=&o=12618&l=sem&qsrc=999&askid=30f48f70-efe1-46c1-8b2a-43558dc3b173-0-ab_msb

Food Angel program rescues over 1,505,480 kg edible surplus food since 2011

Food Angel is a food rescue and food assistance program launched since 2011 with the mission to turn the otherwise wasted quality food into healthy and nutritious meals for those in need. The program rescues edible surplus food from different sectors of the food industry that would otherwise be disposed of as waste.

Over 3,600 tons of surplus food is discarded in Hong Kong every day. Approximately, 33% of the food waste comes from food industries. Food Angel rescues an average of 4,000 kg of surplus food daily from going to the landfills. The program has rescued over 1,505,480 kg of surplus food from going to the landfills since March 2011. It currently serves over 6,000 nutritious hot meals and food packs to more than 100 charity partners across Hong Kong every day. Besides, Bread Angel volunteers collect unsold bakery products from bakeries at closing time and directly deliver to beneficiaries for their next day consumption.

"WASTE NOT, HUNGER NOT"

Source: http://www.foodangel.org.hk/en/

Racing to Zero: In Pursuit of Zero Waste

Racing To Zero is a quick-moving, upbeat documentary presenting new solutions to the global problem of waste. The film documents and tracks San Francisco’s waste stream diversion tactics and presents innovative new solutions towards achieving zero waste, thereby dramatically reducing the city's carbon footprint, in response to the mayor’s pledge to achieve zero waste by 2020. 

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbYWuoQNJ5w

Review: www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/rtz.html

Source: http://trash24.org/

Germany's first Package-free Supermarket combats global waste problem

Original Unverpackt (which translates to 'originally unpackaged’) combats global waste problem at its roots by selling unpackaged products in the first place. Unpackaged shopping means considerably less waste and fewer foods that are thrown away, as everyone can fill what he needed to quantity. The store adopts a no brand-name policy with around 80 percent of the store’s products being organic and sourced from local suppliers as a means of reducing transportation costs and energy use. The products are then sold in bulk using gravity bins (upside-down containers with a lever where the user can decide exactly how much they need). Customers will bring their own containers to take the produce away, borrow reusable containers from the store or use bags made from recycled paper.

Original Unverpackt where PREcycling, not just recycling, is all the rage

Sources:

www.gizmag.com/original-unverpackt-germany-waste-free-supermarket/32376/

https://collectively.org/en/article/byo-packaging-supermarket-in-berlin-creates-absolutely-no-waste/ 

http://original-unverpackt.de/

Jamie Oliver Opens Zero-Waste Restaurant

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has opened a new American-style pop-up restaurant in London that enforces a zero percent landfill policy meaning all produce will be eaten, composted, recycled or upcycled. Some menu items will even be made by ingredients thrown out by other restaurants and shops. 

'WASTE NOT, WANT NOT', Jamie Oliver's Diner


Source: www.bighospitality.co.uk/People/Jamie-Oliver-launches-new-restaurant-concept-Jamie-Oliver-s-Diner

Zero Waste Week Hong Kong 2015 - TAKE THE PLEDGE!

Everyone can take part in change for the better. The Zero Waste Week campaign invited ALL companies, organizations, families and individuals to join hands in making a change by taking a pledge for Zero Waste! Anyone can be part of the solution – simply start with a pledge to reduce your waste to landfill now!

TAKE THE PLEDGE at:

www.ecozine.com/zerowasteweek

'Waste Less' app makes your recycling efforts easy

'Waste Less' is a mobile app developed by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to equip you with a 'search' function to locate the most suitable recyclable collection points nearby, via a map on your device. It will also keep you posted of the latest news about waste management in Hong Kong, as well as tips and good practices about waste reduction and recycling.  You can also record your daily recycling efforts and share them with your friends.

Downloadable at:
Android: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hk.com.codecrafters.wsb&hl=en_GB
iOS: itunes.apple.com/hk/app/mi-sai-ye/id826382645?mt=8
Window 8: www.windowsphone.com/en-hk/store/app/waste-less-%E5%92%AA%E5%98%A5%E5%98%A2/7bed069f-975c-48d5-b6a5-d9985407f6ac

10 Ways to Have Less Waste

In celebration of Earth Day, Joy McCarthy, Holistic Nutritionist and Founder of Joyous Health shares 10 ways to create less waste, encouraging everyone to take actions, make a difference to ourselves and to our planet. 

• Buy Less
• Buy Quality
• Recycle Properly
• Avoid Excessive Packaging
• Compost
• Reduce Food Waste
• Be a Green Cleaner
• Reuse Bags
• Purchase Recycled Products
• You’ve Got Mail!

Let's make a difference!

Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQe4Y97JOZY

Trash is for Tossers - SAY NO TO TRASH

Trash is for Tossers is Lauren Singer's attempt to document her Zero Waste journey. She shows that leading a Zero Waste lifestyle is simple, cost-effective, timely, fun, & entirely possible for everyone and anyone. She outlines 2 easy steps: EVALUATE and TRANSITION to work towards Zero Waste. 

This is all of the trash Lauren's produced in the month of Sept 2013

Check out more tips at:

Blog: www.trashisfortossers.com/p/about.html

Facebook: TrashIsForTossers

Twitter: trashis4tossers

Instagram: trashisfortossers/

Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6q7nmPp9FU

Bea Johnson's family of four generates a quart-size jar of waste per year, and so can you!

Bea Johnson lives waste-free with her family since 2008. She advises us to get our 5Rs right: Refuse what you do not need, Reduce what you do need, Reuse what you consume, Recycle what you cannot Refuse, Reduce or Reuse, and Rot (Compost) the rest. Check out also Bea's 100 tips to lower your waste at home at www.zerowastehome.com/p/tips.html.

Bea Johnson's waste for the whole year of 2014!