Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs recently named a group of students from Martha’s Vineyard, who took action against the island’s plastic waste, as the winners of their Marine Debris Creative Advocacy Competition. Here, we take a look at what the students accomplished and see how advocacy work is essential to creating lasting solutions for New…
Nov 6
2019
2019
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…
Oct 30
2019
2019
Five Ways Cities and Towns Can Slash Trash and Fight Climate Change
In September 2018, leaders from across the country – including CLF’s President, Bradley Campbell – and the globe gathered in San Francisco, California at the Global Climate Action Summit to exchange ideas about how we can address the most pressing issue of our time: climate change. The Summit also challenged cities and towns around the world to step…
Oct 29
2019
2019
Are You Composting Yet? If Not, Now Is a Good Time to Start!
Over the last few years, the push to get food waste out of landfills and incinerators has become the new kale. Or cupcakes. Or bone broth. You get the picture. And rightfully so! As a nation, we waste a staggering amount of food every year: about 40 percent of what we produce. That’s more than…
Oct 29
2019
2019
Redesigning the Way We Shop
The owner of a new, low-waste, personal and home care store in Cambridge, MA, Sarah Levy has re-envisioned the way we shop while helping our community to reduce its waste. For as long as I can remember, I’ve tried to use resources efficiently (i.e., not waste stuff), which is likely a result of growing up…
Oct 28
2019
2019
Our Recycling System is Broken
Our recycling system is in a crisis. Up until last year, recyclables collected for the U.S. were shipped to China for processing. But then, China stopped accepting our recycling, setting off a chain reaction of problems. In New England and across the country, the cost of recycling for towns and cities is skyrocketing, forcing local…
Oct 28
2019
2019
Municipal Solid Waste: What is It and Why is It a Problem?
Think for a moment about the trash you produce every day, either directly or indirectly. First, there’s what you throw out at your home or your job; then there’s the trash that restaurants, laundromats, doctors’ offices, and other businesses you frequent throw out after you leave. Next, add the waste from the farms that produce…
Dec 12
2017
2017
Municipal Solid Waste: What is It and Why is It a Problem?
Most people are unaware that we have a serious – but preventable – municipal solid waste problem here in New England and across the country. We explain what’s in our waste and why it’s so dangerous.
Nov 20
2017
2017
Got Thanksgiving Leftovers? Here’s What to Do with Them This Year
Every year, I pledge to waste a little less food at Thanksgiving, not just because I hate to throw away money and time, but because food waste can be terribly damaging to the environment. So let’s think about this for a second – what can you do to waste less food at Thanksgiving?
Nov 16
2017
2017
Community Voices: Life in the Shadows of the Wheelabrator Landfill
Landfills like this one in Saugus, MA, are notorious for releasing lead, mercury, and other cancer-causing chemicals into our air and water – so it’s no surprise that the surrounding communities are feeling the burden of their polluting neighbor.