According to its mission statement, the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) is “a national forum that promotes the development, implementation, and evaluation of efforts to avoid, eliminate, or reduce waste generated to air, land, and water. The sustainable and efficient use of energy, materials and resources is vital to the protection and enhancement of human health and the environment, and the conservation of natural resources. These efforts are integral to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production to promote environmentally responsible social and economic development.”
Since 1995, NPPR has recognized the very best in pollution prevention (P2) with its annual awards program, the Most Valuable Pollution Prevention Awards (MVP2). MVP2 awards recognize the P2 efforts of local government, state government, federal government, tribes, not-for-profit organizations, private industry, educators, and students.
Nominations for the awards are accepted year-round. The deadline for consideration for the 2025 MVP2 awards is July 31st, for awards to be announced in September during Pollution Prevention Week (celebrated annually during the third week in September; September 15-21 for 2025).
Members of NPPR may nominate individuals or programs for MVP2 awards at no charge. There is a $50 fee per nomination by non-members.
MVP2 award winners are selected for each of seven categories as described below.
Fred Granek Memorial P2 Ambassador. “The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable has established this annual award in honor of Fred Granek who suddenly passed away in January of 2014. The Fred Granek Memorial P2 Ambassador Award will be given to an individual who has demonstrated the same passion for pollution prevention that Fred demonstrated throughout his 39 year career in environmental protection. This award will also recognize those who travel beyond their own borders to share information, ideas, and technologies that will avoid, eliminate and reduce waste in an effort to make the world a better place. These are qualities that Fred embodied and will be missed by the entire P2 community.”Click here to nominate someone for the P2 Ambassador award.
P2 Project or Program. “There are five broad judging categories for this award: (1) innovation, (2) measurable results, (3) transferability, (4) commitment, and (5) optimization of available project resources.”Click here for complete details and to nominate a project or program.
P2 Multimedia. This award “celebrates work that most effectively reduces harmful impacts to all environmental media: to land, air, and water, and reduces impacts to workers and consumers…The award is for projects and programs that result in the reduction of harm to ecosystems and people because they avoid pollution during the process being undertaken, and reduce harm in shipping and storing of hazardous substances, as well as the injuries to health and the environment that can occur during product manufacturing and use, and post-use management. Nominations for this award will be judged on the preventive value of the pollution reduction, including extent of the pollution reduction across environmental media; reduction of exposure risk to environmental and human receptors; demonstration of new techniques, practices, opportunities; transferability of the demonstration; and effectiveness of communication of the P2 example.”Click here for complete details and to nominate a project or program.
Ken Zarker Memorial P2 Champion. “The P2 Champion Award celebrates an individual whose work has an outstanding impact on implementing pollution prevention in one or more of the following areas: setting pollution prevention vision and strategies; leading and directing pollution prevention programs; implementing pollution prevention projects; and/or significant impact on pollution prevention achieved.” Click here to nominate someone for this award.
P2 Educator of the Year. This award “celebrates a teacher, professor or trainer whose work with students has an outstanding impact on pollution prevention in one or more of the following areas: setting pollution prevention vision and strategies; creating, advancing or inspiring work in pollution prevention; implementing pollution prevention projects; and/or significant impact on pollution prevention achieved.”Click here to nominate someone for P2 Educator of the Year.
P2 Student of the Year. This award “celebrates a student in high school, college or advanced degree whose work has an outstanding impact on pollution prevention in one or more of the following areas: setting pollution prevention vision and strategies; creating, advancing or inspiring work in pollution prevention; implementing pollution prevention projects; raising awareness to the importance of pollution prevention; and/or significant impact on pollution prevention achieved.” Click here to nominate a student.
P2 Volunteer of the Year. This award “celebrates an NPPR member whose volunteer work has an outstanding impact on implementing pollution prevention in one or more of the following areas: setting pollution prevention vision and strategies; creating, advancing or inspiring work in pollution prevention; implementing pollution prevention projects; and/or significant impact on pollution prevention achieved.”Click here to nominate an NPPR member.
For more information or to ask questions, contact admin@p2.org.
ISTC is a proud member of NPPR and past recipient of MVP2 awards. ISTC’s Joy Scrogum currently serves on the NPPR board of directors, and received the P2 Ambassador award in 2022.
Plastic Free July is a campaign coordinated by the Plastic Free Foundation to raise awareness of the negative impacts of plastic pollution and to encourage individuals to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics.
You’ve probably seen news coverage of collections of plastic pollution in the oceans or seen photos of wildlife harmed by ingesting or being trapped in discarded plastic packaging. Microplastics have been detected in a variety of human organs, and in virtually every habitat on Earth. We’re only beginning to understand and investigate the potential negative impacts of plastic pollution and exposure on human and environmental health. To learn more about those potential impacts, see the “Impacts on Environmental and Human Health” section (beginning on page 65) in the “Plastics” chapter of the recent ISTC report, “Illinois Materials Management & Recycling Opportunities,” available at https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127016.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of Plastic Free July, and the third year we’ve celebrated the campaign by offering tips on the ISTC Blog. In 2023, we focused on atypical examples of single-use plastics, beyond things like plastic water bottles and grocery bags, to foster further reduction among people who have already tackled the “low-hanging fruit.” In 2024, we focused on ways to reduce plastic pollution from your clothing and textiles. This year, we’ll share a few new tips to reduce plastic consumption throughout various aspects of your life—at home, at work, and on the go. Some of these tips apply to businesses as well as individuals. Be sure to check out the previous posts as well for additional tips! These lists are of course not exhaustive but are meant to provide inspiration for change, and perhaps spark conversation and brainstorming.
As always, please remember that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Information about specific products, manufacturers, or vendors is provided for reference only.
Photo by Studio95 – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Replace plastic dish scrubbers and sponges. Options include compostable Swedish dishcloths made from cellulose and cotton, such as If You Care Sponge Cloths, which are reusable, machine washable, and certified for composting at their end of life in both commercial and home composting systems. Dish scrubber pads made from sisal, coconut coir, or bamboo fibers can also help you reduce plastic. Be careful though—some scrubbing pads made with natural materials such as walnut shells sometimes include recycled plastic from water bottles. Be sure to check the product packaging/description carefully if you want a plastic-free item.
This and the preceding two tips may be useful at work for food service operations like restaurants, cafeterias, or other food-focused businesses.
Opt for wool dryer balls instead of single-use dryer sheets that are typically made from polyester. See “How Long Do Dryer Balls Last? Plus How to Refresh Them” by Mary Marlow Leverette, writing for Real Simple, to ensure your dryer balls last as long as possible–we may be focused on plastic this month, but let’s remember to reduce all waste!
Switch to tablet forms of toothpaste and mouthwash to eliminate plastic tubes and bottles (e.g. these products from Bite) and consider a toothbrush made from bamboo with plant-based bristles (e.g. Brush with Bamboo; note the bristles are not compostable and should be removed if you plan to compost the handle). You can also find plastic-free dental floss, made from natural silk, corn-derived starch, or bamboo. James Miller reviews these floss options in “8 Best Plastic-Free Dental Floss Brands Tested.”
These swaps may also be useful for dentist and orthodontist offices.
Photo by Harry Wedzinga – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Ditch disposable wipes. This one works for office settings too, which may have started keeping these on hand during the pandemic and simply never stopped. Whether you’re talking about disposable sanitizing wipes for surfaces or personal cleansing wipes, these items often include synthetic fibers made from polyester or polypropylene, although cotton, cellulose, or rayon may also be used. See the FDA web page “Disposable Wipes” for more information (and note that different agencies regulate wipes depending on their intended purpose). It can be challenging to determine the fibers used when examining product packaging—for example, the “smart label” information for Chlorox wipes includes the ingredients in the cleaning solution the wipes are impregnated with, but not the ingredients of the wipe itself. Since waste reduction is always a good idea, why not skip the wipes entirely or only use them for really nasty messes when a washable cloth would not be desirable? Even then, using a spray cleaner with paper towels made from recycled paper or bamboo would be more environmentally preferable than a single-use wipe made with plastic. If sanitizing a surface is important, note that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that “In most situations, cleaning alone with soap and water can remove most germs, such as harmful viruses or bacteria, on surfaces.” You could also use a can of spray disinfectant (e.g. Lysol or similar product) with a washable cloth or paper towel.
Avoid disposable coffee pods in the break room. Again, this tip does double duty, since it applies to home kitchens as well, but many offices, especially in public-facing areas like conference rooms or waiting areas, have gravitated toward Keurig-style machines with pods that allow people to brew a single beverage serving. The mountains of resulting plastic waste have been the subject of more than one Internet meme. Honestly, it wasn’t all that long ago when humans managed just fine with regular coffee pots and pitchers of water or other cold drinks at meetings or in waiting areas. Just because pods exist doesn’t mean you have to offer them, and your business might boost its image with customers or employees, if you post a sign near your “old fashioned” offerings tying your choice to waste reduction.
Photo by Elena Medoks – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
If you feel compelled to give individuals choices, and you’re located in an area where commercial composting is available, consider compostable pods. Check out the Corner Coffee Store post “6 Best Eco-Friendly Coffee Pods in 2025: Reviews & Top Picks” by Melissa Gunter to explore options.
If you’re only providing coffee for a small group of employees (or your family at home) and you still want to use pods to allow individual choice, consider providing reusable coffee pods for your crew. In January 2025, Justin Hughes described the pros and cons of “15 Best Reusable Coffee Pods for a Sustainable Brew – Eco-Friendly Choices for Coffee Lovers” on the Cappucino Oracle website.
Eliminate other single-use plastics in break rooms and at catered events. Another double-duty tip here, since it can apply to parties you host at home. If your office/business has a break room, consider stocking it with bulk condiments in the refrigerator, rather than single-use sachets. If you have a sink or dishwasher, provide reusable mugs, plates, cutlery, etc. for employees to use and wash, or encourage employees to bring their own from home.
When you cater a meeting or event, if you’re handling the catering yourself, check out Beyond Plastic’s guide “How to Host a Plastic Free Event.” If you’re using a catering service, ask them in advance to avoid single-use condiments and avoid plastic straws, cutlery, and single-use packaging–and that you’re willing to find a different caterer that can fulfill this request if they can’t. The more potential customers that show an interest in plastic reduction, the more likely caterers in your area will be to make plastic waste reduction part of the status quo.
Avoid plastic packaging when shipping items and reuse plastic packaging that you receive. Use paper fill and wraps instead of bubble wrap or plastic air cushions whenever possible, and opt for paper padded mailers. Check out EcoEnclose (https://www.ecoenclose.com/) for more sustainable packaging options, including branded items, reusable packaging, and even plastic-like pouches, such as Sway’s seaweed-based polybags.
If your office has a supply area, stash plastic mailers, bubble wrap and other items you receive there for reuse. If you’re in the Chicago-area, check out EcoShip, https://ecoship.org/. They currently don’t have a permanent physical location (and are in search of one), but in the past this organization has accepted donations (temporarily on hold) of gently used shipping materials for redistribution—for free. Obtaining used shipping materials is a boon to small businesses. Currently, EcoShip is fundraising to find a permanent forever home. Follow them on social media to stay informed about their progress and next steps.
On the go
Consider keeping a reusable “to-go” kit in your car or backpack. You may have adopted the habit of keeping reusable shopping bags in the trunk of your car so you’re never without them. Maybe you even carry a reusable mug with you, and if you’re really prepared, you might have reusable cutlery and a reusable straw in your purse or briefcase. To take it to the next level, consider keeping a reusable glass or stainless steel food storage container, in your vehicle or bag so you can avoid polystyrene or plastic containers for any leftovers from your restaurant stop.
Photo by SBM Creatives – – stock.adobe.com (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
You can even ask for takeout food to be put into your own container. Did you know that based on IL Public Act 103-0524, as of January 1, 2024, a “restaurant or retailer may fill or refill a consumer-owned container with ready-to-eat or dry bulk foods.” Note the use of the word “may”—restaurants aren’t required to do this, so expect some of them to say no. However, many establishments may not even be aware of this law, and if you inform them, they might be open. You never know until you try. See the Illinois Department of Public Health guidance on this legislation at https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/food-safety/reducing-food-and-packaging-waste/consumer-owned-containers/guidance.html.
Yadav, H., Khan, M. R. H., Quadir, M., Rusch, K. A., Mondal, P. P., Orr, M., Xu, E. G., & Iskander, S. M. (2023). Cutting Boards: An Overlooked Source of Microplastics in Human Food?. Environmental science & technology, 57(22), 8225–8235. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c00924.
Coalition for Plastic Reduction (CPR): https://www.ilcpr.org/. This IL non-profit is “a membership coalition of organizations, institutions and businesses committed to the vision of an Illinois free of plastic waste. Individuals are also welcome to join.”
Photo taken at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (Photo by Fred Zwicky / University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Late May and early- to mid-June is the time of year to celebrate high school and college graduations as well as dads, grandpas, and father figures of all sorts as Father’s Day approaches (celebrated on June 15 in 2025). As you contemplate gifts for the dads and grads in your life, the following resources will help you make choices that are more “environmentally friendly,” in terms of reducing exposure to hazardous substances and promoting sustainable behavior. As always, please note that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Mentions of specific products or businesses below are provided for informational reference only.
Pots and pans
If the dad or grad you’re celebrating likes to cook or needs some kitchen supplies for their first apartment, you can reduce their exposure to PFAS by gifting them with stainless steel, cast iron, glass, or ceramic cookware.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS and sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they break down slowly and persist in the environment, are found in a wide variety of consumer products, including cookware treated with “non-stick” coatings. According to the U.S. EPA, these substances are found in the blood of humans and other animals worldwide and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and the environment. This is a concern since exposure may be linked to harmful health effects and there’s still a lot that we don’t know about their impact on human and environmental health, how much total PFAS people are exposed to, and how to effectively remove PFAS from the environment.
To help you evaluate options, check out Grace Kelly’s recent article for Serious Eats in which she tests several different cast iron skillets to find the best one: “To Find the Best Cast Iron Skillets, I Seared Steaks, Baked Cornbread, and Fried Eggs.” If you don’t want to dive deeply, Kelly summarizes: “The best cast iron skillet is from Lodge. It heats up fast and sears deeply, and only costs around $20. We also like the lightweight Lancaster No. 8 skillet, which is easy on the wrists and cooks food beautifully.” She also points out that cast iron cookware is tough, so in addition to using it in the kitchen, you can also use it on the grill or over a fire pit. This is another bonus if your dad or grad loves to cook out or camp out.
If you’re considering glass bakeware/storage, keep in mind that some brands like Pyrex and Anchor Hocking are now using tempered glass (heat-treated soda-lime glass) for items made in the U.S. instead of the borosilicate glass that they once used. This is important because borosilicate glass is much more resistant to large temperature shifts—like taking a made-ahead casserole out of the fridge or freezer and popping it straight into a hot oven—than tempered glass. Swift movement across these kinds of temperature extremes is sometimes referred to as “thermal shock.” So, even if you remember your grandma moving her Pyrex containers back and forth between hot and cold environments with confidence, modern dishes might shatter when exposed to thermal shock. Pyrex made with borosilicate (older items or modern items made outside the U.S.) tend to feature the brand name in all caps (PYREX) while tempered glass versions feature the name in lowercase letters (pyrex). It’s all good—just something to be aware of. For more info, see “The Actual Difference Between PYREX and pyrex” by Sheela Prakash (for Simply Recipes, 12/9/24) and “If Pyrex Isn’t Safe Anymore, Which Brand of Glass Bakeware Should You Buy?” written—appropriately—by Meghan Glass (for Allrecipes, 3/11/23), who points out that some brands like Oxo are still consistently made of borosilicate glass. (Note that the headline for Glass’s article is somewhat misleading; tempered glass is safe so long as you’re aware that it’s not as resistant to “thermal shock” as borosilicate glass.)
Ceramic cookware is becoming popular as a PFAS-free alternative to traditional non-stick cookware. To help select ceramic pots and pans, see Nicole Papantoniou’s 2/19/25 article for Good Housekeeping, “6 Best Ceramic Cookware Sets, According to Expert Testing.”
Continuing the subject of cooking, your dad or grad might appreciate a gift that provides them with locally grown or raised foods. Everybody eats, after all! According to the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), “there is no consensus on a definition of “local” or “local food systems” in terms of the geographic distance between production and consumption. Nevertheless, local and regional foods are increasingly being recognized as an important component to efforts to create more sustainable, resilient, healthier, and equitable food systems…Findings are mixed on the impact of local food systems on local economic development and better nutrition levels among consumers, and sparse literature is so far inconclusive about whether localization reduces energy use or greenhouse gas emissions. Notwithstanding, consumer demand for locally produced food is increasing and creating jobs and opportunity throughout rural America for farms, businesses, and entrepreneurs that store, process, market and distribute food locally and regionally.” In any event, consuming food produced locally gives you the opportunity to know the farmers involved and to ask questions about their practices (e.g., whether and which pesticides are used, how livestock are treated, if they employ any conservation practices on their land, etc.). That’s not something you can do at your typical supermarket.
A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription could be a great option for dads or those grads moving into new apartments who have access to reliable transportation. CSA is a type of arrangement in which a farmer offers “shares” of their harvest to the public in the area surrounding their farm. Individuals buy those shares (sometimes called a “subscription” or “membership”) before, or at the very beginning of the growing season, helping the farmer with cash flow and giving them some guaranteed income, which is important since the size of their total harvest is impacted by the weather and other factors beyond their control. Subscribers then receive fresh local produce (or meat, eggs, or other items, depending on the farm involved) at regular intervals throughout the season. This typically involves the subscriber picking up a box, bag, or basket of items on a set schedule on the farm or some other public location. The Local Harvest website can help you find a CSA in your dad or grad’s area and elaborates on the benefits for both farmer and subscriber, as well as variations and the shared risks (e.g., if the farmer’s crop is destroyed by a natural disaster, you’re not likely to receive a refund if you don’t receive your normal boxes of goods).
University of Illinois/Photo by Fred Zwicky.
Young grads going off to college dorms may not want or need the amount of local food a CSA provides, but they can still benefit from gifts centered on local foods. Consider a gift card or membership for a local food co-op store so they can stock their mini fridge–the Local Harvest website also lets you search for co-op stores near a given location. Another idea would be to give them some money, reusable cotton or canvas shopping bags, and perhaps a bus pass, along with directions and other information for farmers markets where they’ll be living. The Local Harvest website lets you search for farmers markets in a given area, and if you grad will be in IL, check out the Illinois Farmers Market Association (ILFMA) website and use the MarketMaker map to find farmers markets and other food-focused businesses throughout the state.
Safer personal care products
You might be considering the gift of personal care products for your dad or grad—maybe a nice aftershave or fragrance, hair styling products, shaving cream, moisturizer, etc. But you may have heard news related to health impacts of various chemicals that might be present in such products and aren’t even sure you remember the names of some of the substances, let alone how to avoid them. Explore the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep database to find a variety of products that have been evaluated based on their ingredients, scientific and industry literature related to those ingredients, intended use, areas of the body to which the products are exposed, the type of exposure, target demographics, and other factors. Products are scored based on the best available information on known and suspected hazards, and the database is updated regularly to reflect advances in scientific research.
The database includes 9 product categories: makeup; nails; face & body; oral care; hair; fragrance; babies & kids; men (which overlaps with some of the other categories but includes items marketed mainly toward men, such as beard oil, shaving creams, and men’s fragrance); and sun (for products like sunscreen, sunless tanning, and even lip balms or moisturizers with SPF ratings). You look at lists for subcategories to find information on specific products, or search the database for specific ingredients, product types, or brand names. If you pull up a list on a specific type of product (e.g. shaving cream), you can click on each listed item to learn more about its score, its ingredients, and when its entry was last updated. You can also sort the list alphabetically (a to z or vice versa), by best to worst score, or by worst to best score. Product entries will also display an evaluation of the data availability on which the rating is based (e.g. limited or fair).
Screenshot of EWG Skin Deep list of shaving creams.
ICAW 2025 poster designed by Abbie Sawyer from Athens, Georgia. Abbie is an artist, nature enthusiast, and Compost Education Specialist for the Athens-Clarke County Solid Waste Department.
International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is celebrated annually during the first full week of May and is a time to learn more about composting organic wastes (e.g., landscape wastes and food scraps) as part of fostering healthier soil and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A theme is chosen for ICAW in the US each year, and the theme becomes the focus of a poster contest, in which artists age 14 and older from around the world compete. The image above is the winning design for 2025, created by Abbie Sawyer from Georgia.
This year’s theme is “Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!” As explained on the Compost Research & Education Foundation website, “This theme was chosen with the goal of highlighting composting in all kinds of communities at any scale – from the backyard home composter to community composters, to large-scale facilities to all those who recognize the many benefits of using compost on our soils. As has been done for the past several years, the theme was chosen by all of the international partners who are part of the International Compost Alliance – making it truly an international theme. This year’s theme was inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”*
Composting reduces methane emissions through aerobic managed decomposition, providing for a more sustainable community.
Composting lowers greenhouse gases by improving carbon sequestration in the soil. Getting the carbon back into the soil serves as a “carbon bank,” helping to store carbon thereby removing it from the atmosphere.
Compost provides essential nutrients for plants, promoting vibrant gardens and farms. Healthier soil leads to healthier, more nutritious food for our communities.
Compost use increases the water-holding capacity of our soils. This is important as our communities are more and more often seeing drought and or intense rain events causing soil runoff and erosion.
Community Gardens and Green Spaces: Compost plays a vital role in community gardens, fostering green spaces that provide fresh produce, recreational opportunities, and community gathering places.
Illinois will be hosting over 50 in-person and virtual events during ICAW in over 12 counties. To see a full list of events and find registration information for those that are vitual, check out the IFSCC ICAW 2025 webpage: https://illinoiscomposts.org/icaw-2025/.
If you’re interested in hosting your own ICAW event, check out the IFSCC’s ICAW Host Toolkit, which includes:
tabling signage,
resources for libraries,
a list of relevant children’s books,
resources for park districts,
social media resources,
activities for kids,
a guide for hosting a “compost giveback” event (aka a “compost giveaway” or a “bring your own bucket” event),
a link to a spreadsheet of food scrap municipal composting programs and drop-off locations, and
a link to IFSCC’s guide for where to buy finished compost in IL. (Note that this only includes IFSCC member organizations that are compost manufacturing facilities. If you don’t see a site near you, do an Internet search or consult your county solid waste agency or recycling coordinator for guidance.)
Stand out from the crowd. Be sustainable, be recognized.
The Beverage Resilience Program offers free help to make Illinois craft beverage businesses more sustainable and save money. Brought to you by the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) and our partner the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC), this grant-funded program supports breweries, wineries, distilleries, and other craft beverage businesses across the state of Illinois.
Our team will come to your business and perform a comprehensive site assessment to identify opportunities to reduce energy and water use, waste generation, and costs as well as highlight areas where your business is already excelling in sustainability. The opportunities identified will help you to reduce costs as well, promote sustainability in your community, and differentiate yourself from your peers.
Following your assessment, you will also have the chance to assist in shaping the certification process for green beverage manufacturing in Illinois and to be recognized for your sustainability efforts through the Illinois Green Business Program.
How does it work?
Initial Meeting – either via email, conference call, or in person, to discuss needs and concerns
Opportunity Assessment – conducted on-site to uncover areas for potential change or improvement
Report on Findings – a document providing methods for reducing pollution and potential cost savings
Implementation Support – assistance for next steps, if needed
Project Review – document savings and benefits
What are the benefits?
Promotes sustainable manufacturing and growth
Improves profitability, productivity and competitiveness
Improves workplace safety through less exposure to hazardous materials
Reduces environmental impacts such as:
water use, energy and materials
waste volume and/or toxicity
Increases capacity to attract new business
Increases recyclability and/or diversion of by-products
Presenters will highlight why it’s important to protect your storm drains, and how businesses can help protect waterways. While much of this information is broadly applicable to all business types, it will be particularly useful for restaurants, auto repair/body operations, and car wash facilities.
The session will be moderated by Donna Walden of greenUP!/Nevada Business Network, and presenters will include Julianne Rhodes from Environmental Innovations/California Green Business Network and Cassie Carroll of the Illinois Green Business Association/Green Business Engagement National Network (GBENN).
The US EPA estimates that in 2019 alone, 66 million tons of wasted food was generated in the food retail, food service, and residential sectors, and most of this waste (about 60%) was sent to landfills. Food Waste Prevention Week (FWPW) is a collaborative effort to raise awareness about food waste and its negative impacts on our society and environment, while also sharing resources to help individuals, families, and organizations reduce their food waste. Because the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) Zero Waste team has experience working on food waste reduction and management projects, ISTC is proud to be a FWPW partner organization for the third year in a row!
Be sure to check ISTC’s social media platforms during April 7-13, for highlights of relevant projects, as well as facts and resources to help you on your food waste reduction journey. If you’re not already following us on social media, you can connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
How do I get involved?
The FWPW website provides a wealth of information to help various sectors with food waste prevention efforts, including descriptions of webinars presented by partners across the country. Here are just a few suggestions for relevant activities and webinars, arranged by sector, including links to ISTC and partner organization resources, as well as links to appropriate sections of the FWPW website for further information and inspiration. Links to specific programs or services are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Colleges & Universities
Host a “Weigh your Waste” event to get students involved and to illustrate the magnitude of food waste generated. Uneaten food from student trays from a single meal period is collected, weighed, and put on display. This offers opportunities for discussion around the causes of waste and encourages students to brainstorm ideas for reduction. See this case study from Chapman University for inspiration.
Promote your campus chapter of the Food Recovery Network (FRN), or consider forming one if your campus is not yet participating. FRN is a non-profit that unites students with businesses and other community partners to recover perishable food and fight hunger while simultaneously fighting waste.
Register for these webinars (and check the FWPW webinar page regularly for addition of similar events):
Check out the NRDC Food Matters Beginner’s Guide. The NRDC Food Matters project partners with cities to achieve meaningful reductions in food waste through comprehensive policies and programs. This guide introduces policymakers, agency staff, and activists to the project and provides resources related to food waste reduction and communication strategies, as well as case studies from successful initiatives in partner cities.
Use the NRDC Guide to Making a Public Commitment on Food Waste. This can be a way to harness local leadership and constituent buy-in, while increasing accountability, and helping your city serve as inspiration for peers in other locations.
Register for these webinars (and check the FWPW webinar page regularly for addition of similar events):
See this page for additional information for restaurants.
Individuals & Families
Explore the resources at Savethefood.com, including recipes to use up ingredients and leftovers, storage tips to keep food fresh longer, a tool to estimate the amount of food you’ll need for a certain number of guests, and other planning suggestions.
Register for these webinars (and check the FWPW webinar page regularly for addition of similar events):
Photo by onephoto for Adobe Stock Images, Education License – University of Illinois
Uncover cost-saving and efficiency opportunities for your food-focused business! The Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC) and the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC), units of the University of Illinois, areproviding free technical assistance to 10 small for and/or non-profit entities, such as restaurants, grocers, and other food-focused businesses and organizations in DuPage and Kane Counties in Illinois. By getting assessed, businesses can lower operational costs, reduce wasted food & resources, and attract environmentally-conscious customers.
Assessments will focus on helping entities reduce costs and/or reduce environmental impacts through pollution prevention, energy efficiency, water reduction, alternatives to hazardous chemicals, and waste reduction including purchasing and disposal.
What will the process look like?
Step 1: Initial conversation. This will take the form of a brief introductory phone call to discuss the assessment process and expectations. There will also be discussion of utility data collection. (Participant time commitment: 30 minutes)
Step 2: Pre-Assessment Data Collection & Analysis. The participating business will share utility billing data as available. Providing this information helps our team quantify savings opportunities found on-site. (Participant time commitment: 30 minutes)
Step 3: Facility Walkthrough. On-site visit to discuss and tour the facility to review current conditions of the facility including infrastructure and operational processes. Identify sustainability opportunities for cost and resource savings. (Participant time commitment: 1 hour)
Step 4: Providing Recommendations & Resources. ISTC and SEDAC will use data and information from previous steps to develop strategies to reduce costs and/or reduce environmental impact. Recommendations and resources will be shared with the participating business via a written report and presentation with Q&A. (Participant time commitment: 1 hour)
Step 5: Implementation. ISTC and SEDAC will assist businesses that are interested in implementing recommended strategies. Implementation assistance includes further guidance on equipment and/or process upgrades, as well as connecting to incentive or funding opportunities. (Participant time commitment will vary.)
Step 6: Case Study (Optional). A case study will be developed to showcase opportunities uncovered and strategies implemented. (This step is optional. If you decide to share your experiences with peers and customers, your time commitment will be approximately 1 hour to review drafts and provide feedback/approval.)
Participants will be selected on a rolling basis and ISTC and SEDAC will work with participants upon selection until December 2026. Questions can be directed to Zach Samaras at zsamaras@illinois.edu.
This opportunity is made possible by a grant from US EPA Region 5.
Photo by smirart for Adobe Stock Images (Education license, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)
Note that ISTC does not endorse, either explicitly or implicitly, any manufacturer, vendor, product, or service. Mentions of specific products or businesses below are provided for informational reference only.
The International Day of Zero Waste, observed on March 30th annually, was established through UN General Assembly Resolution 77/161 and is jointly facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The day highlights the importance of waste reduction, sustainable materials management, and responsible consumption and production as part of sustainable development.
This year’s theme and why it matters
This year’s theme is “Towards zero waste in fashion and textiles.” According to the non-profit organization Global Fashion Agenda, 92 million tonnes of textile waste are produced globally each year. (Note that a “tonne” or metric tonne is equal to 2,204.6 lbs., as opposed to a “ton,” a.k.a. short ton, which is equal to 2000 lbs.) In 2018, the U.S. EPA found that nearly 17 million tons of textile waste were generated nationwide, with 11.3 million of those tons going to landfills (3.2 million tons were combusted). According to the Illinois Materials Management Advisory Committee Report to the General Assembly (2021), 279,188 tons of clothing were disposed of in Illinois landfills in 2018, along with 235,523 tons of “other textiles.” In its 2017 report A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation stated that between 2000 and 2015, global clothing production doubled while the duration of garment use decreased by 36 percent. So-called “fast fashion,” defined by Merriam-Webster as “an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions that emphasizes making fashion trends quickly and cheaply available to consumers,” tends to involve production of less durable items that wear out quickly, contributing to this trend of high production rates and shorter periods of use.
Further, it is estimated that over 15,000 chemicals are used in textile manufacturing processes, some of which are toxic or prone to persistence in the environment (Roos, et al, 2019). Textile manufacturing also uses lots of water and is responsible for massive greenhouse gas emissions. Given the variety of textiles produced, and with some being natural and others synthetic, it’s hard to characterize the total amount of water used for, and emissions resulting from, all textile production worldwide. Considering a cotton t-shirt as an example, a frequently cited article from the Spring 2014 edition of World Wildlife Magazine claims it takes 713 gallons (2700 liters) of water to produce one cotton t-shirt. Mayer and Birkocak (2024) estimate the textile and apparel industry accounts for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Suffice it to say, due to the massive amounts of resources involved in the production of textiles, the potential for pollution from the manufacture and use of textiles, and the amount of textile waste filling dwindling landfill space, anything we can do to reduce waste associated with textiles is important.
Ideas for positive action
While the potential negative impacts associated with textiles seem daunting, there are several things that individuals can do to prevent textile waste and manage them more responsibly at their end-of-life. Here are a few suggestions to consider.
Invest in more durable items. The upfront cost may be higher, but reducing the need to replace worn out items can make that worthwhile in the long run. Check out Good on You’s guide to choosing clothes that last.
When possible, buy secondhand clothing from thrift stores, consignment shops, or similar outlets. You might get lucky and find some deeply discounted, high-quality items that wound up at a thrift store precisely because they were made to last! In any event, keeping wearable clothing in use longer conserves the resources invested in their creation. If you have items that are still wearable but no longer wanted, consider donating or consigning them at relevant local charities or shops.
Repairing your clothing and textiles, rather than replacing them when seams rip or holes begin, is another strategy to conserve natural and financial resources. If you’re not handy with needle and thread, connect with friends or family who are, or support the local economy by taking items to an alteration shop or shoe repair service in your area. You can also do an Internet search for a local Repair Café, Fixit Clinic, or similar gathering where others might help you fix your items. You might also look for no-sew options using iron-on patches, fabric glue, or shoe glue (Shoe Goo is a popular brand of the latter, available in many hardware or “big box” stores; though typically used to repair soles that are separating from uppers, the Shoe Goo website notes that it can also be used for other repairs, such as fixing holes in backpacks). Marissa Elena’s Simple Ways To Mend Your Clothing Without A Sewing Machine is a good resource with embedded videos for illustration.
Wash your clothing less frequently and use cold water when you do. Unless you’ve sweat profusely or been doing a particularly dirty job, your outer garments might be able to be aired out and worn at least one additional time before getting tossed in the laundry basket. Washing less often will reduce wear and tear on your clothing and reduce your chores as a bonus. Check out Real Simple’s guide on how frequently to wash various types of clothing. And Don’t Bother Using Hot Water to Wash Your Laundry from Consumer Reports should set your mind at ease about the efficacy of cold water, which means less energy used during washing.
Reuse your textiles for crafts or cleaning rags. Some people enjoy making quilts or rag rugs from fabrics reclaimed from old clothes, or even tote bags or hot pads. See 9 Ways to Make a Rag Rug you’ll Want to Try! for some inspiration. If you’re not crafty, consider repurposing your castoffs into cleaning rags you can launder after use—an option that will also help you reduce your use of disposable items like paper towels. Some textiles are of appropriate size to use as rags as-is (e.g., an old washcloth or cloth diaper), but if you want to cut old shirts or pants down to size, use pinking shears to reduce fraying.
Recycle textiles that are not suitable for donation that can’t be repurposed in your own home. Check city, county, or local non-profit websites for “where to recycle it” guides, or do an Internet search to find recycling options near you. If you’re not sure which agency to contact in your area, reach out to the Illinois Recycling Foundation for guidance. Textiles collected for recycling might be turned into industrial rags, insulation or other construction materials, or carpet padding, among other items. Like more traditional recyclables, textiles should be seen as resources that don’t belong in landfills.
If you’re already doing some of the things suggested above, great! If it’s all new to you, don’t try to tackle everything at once. Choose one or two suggestions that fit well with your situation and circumstances and try them out. Talk to friends and family about your successes, and any challenges you encounter. They might help you overcome barriers and you just might inspire them to fight waste too! Don’t focus on trying to be perfect–you’re human, after all. If you try too many new things at once, or get too wrapped up in doing the exact “right thing,” you may become overwhelmed and either never start your new habit, or start and quickly give up. Every small step you take to reduce waste matters. If you’ve read through this whole post, congratulations–you’ve taken the first step toward sustainable behavior by being open to new practices!
More ways to get involved in waste reduction
Visit the UNEP website and click on “Events” to find Zero Waste Day events near you, or to add your own event to their map!
As Valentine’s Day approaches, purchases of flowers increase. Whether for a holiday gift, special occasion, or other celebration, most of us will buy bouquets or flower arrangements at some point. But have you considered sustainable options or the best way to manage bouquets after they fade?
Note that links to products, programs, or vendors below are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as endorsements by ISTC, the Prairie Research Institute, or the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Why it matters
When you think about the economic impacts of agriculture, you’re likely to consider crops used to feed humans or other animals. But floriculture is also “big business.” The USDA defines floriculture as “that branch of horticulture dealing with the production of field-grown or greenhouse-grown plants for their flowers or showy leaves.”According to the US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA NASS), in 2023 (the year with the most recently published data), floriculture sales in IL totaled $134,063,000. For the same year, the Society of American Florists, reports total spending nationwide on floral products (flowers, seeds, and potted plants) was $72.8 billion.
Clearly, buying and selling flowers has a huge impact on carbon emissions just from the perspective of product distribution. Imported blooms are flown thousands of miles and once they reach US soil, they might still end up being trucked for many more miles before reaching a retail location. Beyond the fuel used for transportation, refrigeration is often required along the way to keep blooms fresh.
Like any other agricultural operation, floriculture involves the use of a lot of resources (e.g. land, water, labor, etc.) and the application of a variety of chemicals that may have negative impacts on human and environmental health. A recent review of pesticides in flower production identified 201 different compounds used, 93 of which are banned by the European Union (Pereira et al., 2021).
So, although we tend to focus on aesthetics when picking the flowers we buy, attending to any available information on the source and production practices matters greatly if we care about environmental sustainability. It’s also worth considering the impacts of any packaging involved, which might be destined for the landfill if it can’t be reused, recycled, or composted. Because of the resource use embodied in them, it pays to consider keeping ornamental flowers and plants vibrant and in use for as long as possible, and when they are genuinely wilted and no longer lovely, we should try to keep them out of landfills if possible through composting. When plant material and wasted food (collectively called “organics”) break down in landfills without oxygen present (i.e., in anaerobic conditions), methane, a greenhouse gas is produced. The US EPA reports that municipal solid waste landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the US, accounting for approximately 14% of methane emissions in 2022.
Better options
So how can you reduce the negative impacts of the flowers you buy?
Buy locally grown flowers whenever possible. If purchasing at a florist, grocery store, or large retail outlet, look for posted information on the source of the product or ask staff for more information. Depending on your location, time of year, and the intended use for your flowers, you may be able to get what you need from a farmer’s market or directly from a farm. This gives you the opportunity to meet the grower and ask questions about their operation. Buying local also supports the local economy and populations of pollinators, depending on the amount of shelter used in production (i.e. open fields, greenhouses, etc.). And of course, you’ll greatly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions involved in distribution. According to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (ASCFG), local flowers also tend to be of a wider variety, will last longer because they’ve traveled a shorter distance to you, and may smell better, because they are less likely to have been bred for uniformity, a practice that may compromise natural fragrance. If you don’t already have a farmer’s market or other favorite source for local flowers, the following resources will help you find them:
IL Specialty Growers Association Live Local Shop Local Map: https://www.specialtygrowers.org/shoplocal.html. There are a few different ways to search. Either select “Floriculture” from the “Products” drop-down menu OR “Cut Flowers” from the “Product Attribute” drop-down menu OR type “flowers” or “cut flowers” into the search bar.
If you can’t find locally grown, look for sustainably grown options. This might mean using an online service that sources sustainably grown flowers or looking for certified products in shops. Links related to certification programs below will allow you to dive into the details of the program standards if you wish.
ReVased: https://www.revased.com/. This company began in 2019 with a focus on “upcycling” flowers from events (more on that below), selling a portion and donating a portion of these reclaimed arrangements. When the COVID-19 pandemic caused events to temporarily be put on hold, they shifted gears and now primarily offer online orders of sustainably grown flowers and plants. From their website: ‘We are proud to source our flowers from high-quality, sustainable-minded farms in both the U.S. and South America. The flower farms we work with have achieved Rainforest Alliance Certification, Fairtrade Certification, or take other steps for environmental, economic, and social sustainability. This includes protecting forests and natural wildlife habitats; promoting farmers’ human rights and safe, decent working conditions; conserving water and soil; and helping to lessen the burden of the climate crisis. We are lucky to work with amazing farm partners who meet these rigorous standards of excellence! We also ship “farm-direct.” This eco-friendly shipping method reduces carbon emissions by bypassing many stops in the traditional floral supply chain and reducing the total number of stems being cut, as every cut stem is meant for a customer! Additionally, we offset emissions from our shipments to neutralize our shipping footprint and make our shipments carbon neutral.’
Fair Trade Certification: https://www.fairtradecertified.org/what-we-do/what-we-certify/floral/. Fair Trade certified products comply with standards to safeguard working environments and conditions, living wages and benefits, and to eliminate poverty and forced labor. Check the packaging on products or signage at your florist or other retailer for an emblem from Fair Trade USA or Fair Trade International. According to the Fair Trade USA website, you can find certified flowers at Sam’s Club and Whole Foods.
VerifloraSustainably Grown: https://www.scsglobalservices.com/services/veriflora-certified-sustainably-grown. “This third-party certification assures buyers and consumers that cut flowers and potted plants have been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way, with practices that achieve the highest level of product quality.” This is part of the SCS Global Services suite of third-party certifications, so look for an emblem with the SCS green hummingbird logo and the words “Sustainably Grown Certified.” Veriflora products are available through various florists and supermarkets, so check with your local shops.
Organic: While it is possible to find flowers with USDA Organic certification, this tends to be used for edible flowers or those used for tea. Many growers will follow organic principles without going through the formal certification process, which is why buying local is great if feasible, because it allows you ask questions and learn more about the production process.
If you’ve bought flowers for an event, when your festivities are done, there’s no reason to send those blooms to the landfill. Explore donation of arrangements that still look lovely, and composting when those flowers have truly faded.
ReVased: https://www.revased.com/pages/non-profit-floral-directory. As noted above, this company started out by rescuing flowers from events to rehome them. Since the pandemic their focus is more on online sales, but they have started directory of non-profit organization that can accept donated flowers. Currently, all the IL entries are in the greater Chicago area/northern IL. You can also reach out to them at hi@revased.com for assistance in finding organizations to accept floral donation, but bear in mind their capacity for this is currently limited.
Repeat Roses: https://repeatroses.com/. This company works nationwide and will be hands-on, collecting flowers after an event and delivering them to organizations to which they’re being donated. Where commercial composting facilities exist, they can also pick up donated flowers once they’re truly withered and deliver them to the composting facility. According to their website, “Some locations will offer only limited composting sites within reasonable driving distances. For those locations, we will explore alternatives to ensure we divert flowers from landfills.” In order to have this level of service, you’ll need to plan far in advance. “Four to six months is ideal to secure your date to ensure you are on our pickup schedule. The earlier you decide to reserve your date on the calendar, the more time we have to coordinate with your florist and venue. Often, it is easier for your florist to know of your plans to donate your flowers in advance so they can design your arrangements with this information in mind as it relates to vase/container rentals and arrangement structure. Additional fees may apply to events booked with limited notice.”
Reach out directly to local organizations that may accept donated flowers. If you are planning an event that includes flowers, reach out in advance to local women’s shelters, nursing homes, hospitals, senior services, or cancer support non-profits to see if they could reuse your blooms and work with them, friends, or family on transportation of donations.
Compost. Check the Illinois Food Scrap and Composting Coalition (IFSCC) website list of commercial compost haulers and processors or for tips on composting at home if you’ve got the space and the interest and you’re dealing with a bouquet or two rather than lots of flowers from an event.
Preserve your blooms. If your flowers have sentimental value, consider preserving them. Check out HGTV’s guidance on various methods for drying, pressing, or using resin to create keepsakes.
