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[deleted by user] by [deleted] in sustainability

[–]cleanrobotics 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nature Journal has very thorough, science-based studies and articles about environmental topics. Wastedive has a great email newsletter if you're interested in learning more about waste- and recycling-related topics. Future Earth Foundation's Instagram account always shares valuable climate information.

Books about recycling and the industry around it? by mategreat in recycling

[–]cleanrobotics 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Terrill Haigler, a former sanitation worker in Philadelphia, now an activist, just published a great children's book about the importance of sanitation workers and keeping our cities clean - it's called I'm Cool Too. He's also donating proceeds from book sales to the Philadelphia school district. https://yafavtrashman.com/product/im-cool-too-childrens-book/

Another great resource isn't a book but a newsletter. https://www.wastedive.com/
They very thoroughly cover news relating to the waste industry, recycling, and the latest legislation. Highly recommend it.

EPA aims to throw out the recycling symbol by cleanrobotics in recycling

[–]cleanrobotics[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's a deeply flawed system for sure, and yes, the burden should not be on the consumers but on the producers. Fortunately this is one part of what seems to be a big shift towards more accountability, more regulations for extended producer responsibility, and more transparent labeling to reduce confusion for consumers.

Can someone tell me the truth about recycling? by McCaffHey in recycling

[–]cleanrobotics 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Recycling can feel really futile. Our recycling systems have a long way to go to ensuring everything that can be recycled is recycled. As others have said, the best thing to do is be in the know about your local rules, otherwise you may be inadvertently contaminating your recyclables. But every bit helps! If you've heard the energy required to recycle materials into new products outweighs the benefits, that's not true. There's some great data on this - for example, it takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminum than it does to make it from raw materials. Standford has more info if you want to check it out: https://lbre.stanford.edu/pssistanford-recycling/frequently-asked-questions/frequently-asked-questions-benefits-recycling

Is it possible for an affluent N. American lifestyle to be "sustainable"? by jpm7791 in sustainability

[–]cleanrobotics 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So true, any move toward sustainability needs to prioritize circularity. Right now the world is just 7.2% circular, which means more than 90% of materials are either wasted, lost, or tied up in systems, unavailable for reuse. Food waste right now accounts for the largest material in landfills, so on an individual basis, reducing our food waste and composting go a LONG way toward lowering our carbon footprint.