My first day on the job as Connecticut River Conservancy’s newest River Steward was a whirlwind – literally. We got an early morning start with our friends at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for a windy trip up and down the Connecticut River on their airboat. As we came to our first stop and dismounted the boat, I was shocked and disappointed to see the amount of plastic bottles and nips littering Connecticut’s shoreline.
Mar 11
2020
2020
Jan 28
2020
2020
Curbside Recycling is Failing Us, But There Are Alternatives that Work
Despite many good intentions, curbside recycling has turned out to be a disaster. But that doesn’t mean recycling is dead. We have solutions. One of the best systems for recycling our plastic, glass, and aluminum containers is the bottle return program, also known as the “bottle bill” or deposit-return.
Jan 28
2020
2020
Infographic: Comparing New England’s Bottle Return Programs
Although some New England states pioneered the bottle return system, they have since fallen behind. But New England can improve its recycling by updating or adopting bottle return systems in each state. This would help reduce litter in our neighborhoods, parks, and waterways; it would keep recyclable material out of landfills and incinerators; and it would lift some recycling costs off of communities.
Nov 13
2019
2019
New Hampshire Joins the Fight Against Plastic Pollution
What do polystyrene foam containers, paper coffee cups, and plastic grocery bags, food ware, and straws all have in common? None of them are recyclable and they cost towns and cities an enormous amount of money. What’s more, heaps of these single-use items end up on our beaches and shores, serving as an ugly reminder…
Nov 5
2019
2019
Saving Money with Zero Waste
Cash, dough, bacon, moolah…no matter what you call it, the fact remains that zero-waste initiatives save money. Our zero-waste pyramid (above) shows you just some of the ways these savings kick in. Below, we break some of these policies down in more detail to show how they benefit you and your bank account. *Note: this…
Jul 31
2019
2019
Disappointing Decisions Mark Rhode Island Legislative Session
This session, the Rhode Island General Assembly missed opportunities to make progress on a wide range of environmental issues. CLF and other environmental organizations pushed for action on the climate crisis, toxic chemicals, and plastics pollution, but no substantial new laws were enacted. It was not a total loss, however, as we were successful in preventing passage of some harmful measures.