Repurposing Your Roses

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. 

What Do I Do with My Used Electronics?

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 State of Waste in Texas: Facts, Figures, and Your Role 

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.  

Take the Plastic Free July Challenge

Plastic Free July is an initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation that strives to create a future free of plastic waste. Participants are encouraged to find various ways to reduce their plastic usage in their everyday lives. This can include actions such as shopping in bulk, using bar soap, and switching to reusable items instead of single-use plastics. In 2023, almost 90 million people from 190 countries took part in this initiative, and many of the participants continued these habits after the campaign had ended.

Managing Textiles in Texas

When we think about recycling, we don't often think about textiles. Textiles are made from natural or synthetic fibers (or a blend), and are used to make clothing, shoes, linens, bedding, upholstery, curtains, mattresses, carpets, and much more. Nearly all domestic textiles are recyclable, but less than 15% of textiles generated in the U.S. are reused or recycled — leaving 85% to be landfilled or incinerated. On average, each American throws away 70 pounds of textiles per year