Science Jul 28 How Ben & Jerry’s is recycling food waste into energy By William Brangham, Diane Lincoln Estes
World Nov 18 Watch 8:43 Ghana becomes dumping ground for the world’s unwanted used clothes An estimated 20 million people are thought to earn their livelihoods in the global waste industry by collecting, disposing, repairing or repurposing a wide range of materials and products. However, the cost and consequences of handling waste are borne far… By Fred de Sam Lazaro
World Jul 10 Sustainability in clothing industry falters as fast fashion reigns Textile recycling efforts are dwarfed by giant brands churning out cheap synthetic garments for a rampant consumer base. … By Tian Macleod Ji, Associated Press
Nation Jun 20 Amazon shifts to recycled paper filling for packages in North America Amazon is moving from putting plastic air pillows in its packages in North America to using recycled paper filling instead, a move that’s more environmentally friendly and is said to secure items in boxes just the same, if not better. By Michelle Chapman, Associated Press
Science Mar 16 Watch 6:32 The plastic industry knowingly pushed recycling myth for decades, new report finds The world produces an average of 430 million metric tons of plastic each year. The United States alone produces tens of millions of tons of plastic waste annually. Yet on average, only about 5 to 6 percent of plastic in… By Ali Rogin, Andrew Corkery
Dec 23 Analysis: How decorative glitter contributes to microplastic pollution By Kamran Mahroof, The Conversation Five reasons experts advise avoiding glitter, even on holiday cards or baubles. Continue reading
Nov 23 Watch 8:03 Southeast Asia flooded with imported plastic waste meant for recycling By Fred de Sam Lazaro, Sarah Clune Hartman, Simeon Lancaster Last year, the U.S. exported more than 950 million tons of plastic waste meant for recycling and a significant portion of that ended up in Southeast Asia. The region has been inundated with plastic scrap after China blocked all but… Continue watching
Jun 14 Watch 3:21 A Brief But Spectacular take on textile waste and fashion sustainability Camille Tagle is co-founder and creative director of FABSCRAP, which is a textile recycling nonprofit. Textiles generate 21 billion pounds of waste that goes into landfills every year, and FABSCRAP works to divert that waste, either by downcycling or giving… Continue watching
Dec 28 Watch 3:16 A Brief But Spectacular take on ‘glassroots’ recycling Franziska Trautmann is the founder and CEO of Glass Half Full, a recycling company that converts glass into sand for coastal restoration projects and disaster relief. She and her co-founder Max were students at Tulane University when they launched the… Continue watching
Nov 14 Watch 9:21 How Maine is transforming who pays for recycling By Hari Sreenivasan, Sam Weber For years, Americans have been encouraged to recycle, but global changes to the market for recycled material has led to a realization that just because that symbol is on the package or it’s placed in a blue bin, doesn't necessarily… Continue watching