Road to Zero Waste

By Brianna Linn

The City of Austin's Construction and Demolition (C&D) Recycling Ordinance requires general contractors to reuse or recycle construction debris. An efficient recycling program can help save money while meeting the City’s requirements. 

Use these tips to create a successful recycling program at your project site.

Plan ahead

Determine what type(s) of waste the project will generate during each phase. This will help you figure out which processors,…

By Brianna Linn

It's that time of year again when school zone signs flash and teachers and parents get ready for a new school year. As a parent, packing your kid's lunch often includes single-use plastic bags, disposable silverware, wax-coated juice boxes and other hard-to-recycle items that typically end up in the landfill. If you want to reduce that waste this year, here are some easy ways to make your kid's lunch environment friendly.

Box it up Two words: Bento…

By Brianna Linn

It’s no secret that summer has made its way to Austin; the kids are out of school, Barton Springs is packed with visitors and the familiar smell of barbeque fills the evening air. This season comes with many fun-filled activities like pool parties, family reunions, and holiday celebrations. Hosting a party is no easy feat, and it's so important to remember how the food you serve and how your dispose of it can impact the City of Austin’s zero waste by 2040 goal. If party decorations are on…

Did you know?

Selling 100 vinyl records provides bands as much income as 500,000 Spotify plays or 2.5 million YouTube views, according to Caren Kelleher, founder and owner of Gold Rush Vinyl, a vinyl record manufacturer in Austin, Texas. 

Caren Kelleher was frequently frustrated ordering vinyl records for the bands she managed a few years ago in California. It took up to seven months to fill an order and, even then, the record quality was unreliable.  

Like any true entrepreneur, Kelleher set out in search of a quicker, more reliable solution. In 2018, she founded …

By: Ashley Pace

Breakups are hard, but deep down you know it’s usually for the best. Especially, when you are breaking up with plastic bags. Many Austinites are in the habit of bringing their own bags to the grocery store, but there are a lot of unexpected ways to get more use out of the dozens of reusable bags you have likely accumulated. So as you say “bye bye bye” to flimsy single-use plastic bags forever, say hello to your new friend with benefits: the reusable bag.   

All the shopping

So you’…

By: Andy Dawson

Each year, Americans throw away 9.4 million tons of electronics! Much of that waste turns up during, and immediately following, the holiday season. Out with the old, in with the new, right?

Electronics don’t seem to last long these days, especially when a new phone with a better camera and newer technology is released every six months. The EPA estimates that 350,000 phones are thrown…

By: Bailey Grimmett

Once the holiday hustle and bustle slows down and the presents have been unwrapped, you’re somehow left with a mountain of excess materials such as cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, ribbon and bows, Styrofoam and other packaging materials. You’re not alone! In fact, the amount of trash produced in the United States increases an estimated 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day!  But, did you know that a majority of holi…

By: Andy Dawson and Bailey Grimmett

If you haven’t heard, there’s a colorful way to reuse in Austin. The Diverting Resources for Artistic Works program (DRAW) is an Austin Resource Recovery service aimed at reusing and extending the lives of art supplies such as acrylic paints, canvases, brushes and related items. Located at the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center (RRDOC), and as an expansion of the center’s ReUse Store, DRAW is a resource aimed at offering barely-used art supplies to local residents in creative need.

The RRDOC collects all kinds…

By: Thomas Nguyen

Did you know?

The average textile dye used for clothing is made up of 8,000 synthetic chemicals and after the dyeing process, many factories and mills will dump the excess into water streams.

Welcome back to our Circular Innovators series. In this series, we’ll be highlighting Austin businesses that are embracing the circular economy; reducing waste and creating value for their customers and the planet.

What is Biomimicry?

What is biomimicry? If we break it down, bio = life; mimicry = imitate. Thus, biomimi…

By: Thomas Nguyen

Did you know?

It takes 5,300 gallons of water to make one pair of jeans and a t-shirt. That’s the equivalent of how much fuel it takes to fly a Boeing 737 from Austin to the heart of the Amazon Rainforest!

Welcome back to our Circular Innovators series. In this series, we’ll be highlighting Austin businesses that are embracing the circular economy; reducing waste and creating value for their customers and the planet.

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