Homeowners can get down to zero waste many ways. First is composting. In Seattle, New York, and many other cities across the United States, it has become law to compost all food waste possible. These cities have built food composting into the city waste and recycling programs.
When we throw food waste into the garbage, it eventually turns into a liquid sludge that must be drained from the landfills. Many landfills have a toxic bacterial liquid sludge river flowing out of them that we as taxpayers must pay to have treated before it is put into the stormwater system. This costs millions of dollars every year.
Supporting and donating time to not-for-profit organizations, like the School and Community Assistance for Recycling & Composting Education (SCARCE), that recycles millions of schoolbooks and school supplies for re-use, can also make a huge difference for zero waste.
Why do we throw out books and magazines when they could be reused? SCARCE (www.bookrescue. org) shares its resources with thousands of students and needy people who do not have enough funding to support effective libraries and educational programs.
Recycling metals is a fantastic way to make money and save resources. Metal recycling companies, such as S & S Metal Recyclers in Aurora (www.ssmetalrecyclers2. co m), recycle far more than aluminum cans. Typically most metal recycling companies give cash for copper, iron, brass, wire, stainless steel, sheet metal and more. S & S also recycles batteries, metal automotive parts, refrigerators, washers/dryers, old bathtubs, and the list goes on.
Starting a Zero Waste initiative at your business could save tons of paper and other resources yearly. For the Zero Waste Alliance (ZWA), a not-for-profit organization built to promote education on the use of Zero Waste strategies, the term Zero Waste includes “Zero Solid Waste,” “Zero Hazardous Waste,” “Zero Toxics,” and “Zero Emissions.”
ZWA (www.zerowaste.org) supports the needs of businesses and organizations that need help with Zero Waste initiatives. It works with businesses that have a single employee all the way up to those with thousands of employees.
Businesses are large producers of waste in every community. It is time to start helping the environment instead of hurting it—plus businesses can make a profit on many of the products they currently throw out as trash.
Make a difference today and do your part to reduce, reuse, and recycle for yourself and your community. Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener .blogs
