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In Focus: Austin’s Universal Recycling Ordinance

In Focus: Austin's Universal Recycling Ordinance

By now, you’ve probably heard the buzz: Universal Recycling Ordinances (URO) are on the rise. Municipalities are finding success by implementing UROs to tackle big picture waste management challenges.

Austin, Texas has earned a reputation for being a city with a pioneering spirit. It comes as no surprise that the city has set a goal to become zero waste by 2040. It’s an ambitious target. Fortunately, they have all the elements needed to deliver a successful program.

Planning for Success: 6 Key Elements for Delivering a Voluntary Reporting Program

Planning for Success: Voluntary Reporting Program Header
We understand the importance of collecting good quality data and the diversity of programs delivered in Re-TRAC Connect speaks to that. The majority of the programs in Re-TRAC are mandatory reporting programs that rely on legislative mandates or membership requirements to drive participation. These programs collect and analyze valuable data about the sustainable waste management landscape; however they alone cannot capture the whole picture. Voluntary reporting programs, often viewed as complementary to mandatory reporting programs, are delivered to fill in the blanks.

RecycleMania – Game on!

RecycleMania - Game on
As the February 4th registration deadline approaches, universities and colleges across North America are gearing up for the 16th annual RecycleMania competition.

Is your university or college participating?

If you haven’t already registered, here are 7 great reasons to join over 400 of your colleagues from across North America:

Back to School: Learning how to be green – it’s easy!

Back to school
The smell of fallen leaves, sharpened pencils, and bagged lunches is in the air and that can mean only one thing – it’s BACK TO SCHOOL TIME!

All across North America, parents, students, and educators are getting ready for another year of learning the all-important “3Rs”: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle! We’re here to help you start the year off right with eco-conscious back to school tips and tricks!

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Top 5 reasons to attend the Resource Recycling Conference

resource recycling

We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to attend recycling conferences across North America each year. This year has already seen many noteworthy events including Kyle Wiens’ keynote at AOR and National Recycling Coalition President, Mark Lichtenstein’s presentation at the Michigan Recycling Conference. Now entering it’s sixth year, the Resource Recycling Conference (RRC) has been the gathering place for industry leaders across the continent and this year will not disappoint. We are extremely excited for this year’s RRC in Indianapolis, IN and here are our top five reasons why:

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The Right Tool for the Job

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If you could travel back in time, what would be the one thing you would bring with you?

Most of you will probably answer “the winning lottery ticket numbers”, “my computer” or “detailed instructions on how to build the time machine in case it breaks and I need to get back”. I would bring back an air-powered nail gun.

Why a nail gun? Witnessing the expression of awe on a home builder’s face when you drive a nail into a 2×4 in a millisecond would be the ultimate moment. Tools have the ability to transform a routine task: finish it faster, improve the quality of the finished product, and even improve the experience of the user. I experienced the opposite transformation a few weeks ago when Darryl (one of our Re-TRAC Connect developers) and I volunteered to build homes for Habitat for Humanity.

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When the shoe doesn’t fit

banner_shoe_v2_700pxEarlier this month, I had the opportunity to sit in on a presentation at the Sustainable Oregon conference, organized by the Association of Oregon Recyclers. The presentation entitled “Sustainable Consumption: Why, What, and How?” was delivered by David Allaway (Oregon DEQ) and Lauren Norris (City of Portland). In the presentation, David and Lauren shared highlights from a recent workshop held in Eugene, OR. The Role of Cities in Advancing Sustainable Consumption workshop consisted of academic researchers and policy experts seeking to explore actions that cities can take towards achieving a more sustainable consumption rate at the local level.

In the year 2015, it’s hard to accept the fact that advancements in technology alone will not solve the over-consumption problem we have created on its own. David Allaway spoke of the global consumption crisis that is upon us – our global ecological footprint is equal to approximately 1.5 of the Earth’s. What does that mean?

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