Every year, nearly 1 trillion plastic bags are produced worldwide. The average American uses over 300 of them annually for just a few minutes at a time. Because most recycling facilities cannot process them, 90% of these bags end up in landfills or the environment where they can take decades to break down and eventually become tiny microplastics that persist for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Five decades ago, the environmental movement introduced a simple solution to cut down on waste: reduce, reuse, recycle. This slogan, also known as the 3 Rs, empowered people to rethink what they bought and what they threw away. Today, our modern waste stream is significantly more complicated, flooded with new technologies and materials that challenge the 3 Rs framework.
Since 1986, Don’t mess with Texas has been synonymous with anti-littering and has become one of the most successful litter reduction campaigns in the world. Despite decades of progress, litter continues to affect communities across the state. In the campaign’s Attitudes and Behaviors Study, one-third of Texans reported littering in the past month.
While it’s a relief to have life-saving technology at our fingertips, it’s hard to ignore the nagging guilt of watching life-sustaining tools like blood pressure monitors and glucose meters contribute to the growing mountain of waste filling our landfills. Continue reading to find information on donating your working devices and how to properly dispose of your used medical devices and supplies.
During any special holiday, roses and flowers are a go-to gift that can lift the spirits and the aroma of any person or place. But is there more to a rose than the aroma? Well, yes, yes there is, in fact, there are several ways to extend the life of roses or any flowers. When repurposing flowers, it's important to think about the different parts of the plant. From petals to stems, there’s at least one way to reuse each part of the flower.
Households today are full of electronic devices, from televisions and computers to cell phones and video game consoles. If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering what you’re supposed to do with your devices once they’ve reached the end of their useful life, or when you want to upgrade them.
You can do your part to protect the environment by repairing, reselling, donating, and recycling used electronics. Continue reading to find out how to properly dispose of your electronic devices, electronic accessories, and their packaging.
The latest Municipal Solid Waste in Texas: A Year in Review 2024 report from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality delivered some important insights about trash in our state. Texas disposed of 1 million more tons of waste than the previous year. This means that the average Texan is responsible for 7.24 pounds of trash per day.
That’s a lot of garbage. But with awareness and action, every Texan can help reduce waste statewide.
Paper waste is a common issue in many households and workplaces, but reducing it can help save resources and minimize environmental impact. By making small changes in our daily habits, we can cut down unnecessary paper use.
Here are some practical ways to use less paper in everyday life.
Knowing what to do with waste items can be confusing. Luckily, Take Care of Texas has your back! We’ve compiled a list of items that are commonly dumped or discarded in the wrong way. Keep reading to find out more information on these items and what can and can’t be recycled.
We thought they were dead, but the recycling and sustainability fictions have returned to spread more misinformation. Load up on facts and put these zombie myths back into the ground.
