While recycling is not mandatory in America, over 30 percent of our trash is recycled. But recycling could be as high as 75 percent, which could dramatically impact other environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater resources, and create economic growth.
America Recycles Day was created on Nov. 15, 1997, by the National Recycling Coalition and is now organized by Keep America Beautiful. America Recycles Day is dedicated to raising the awareness of recycling and products made from recycled materials. Over 1,800 events recycling events have been registered in 2016 alone. Events range from awareness/education to collection of specific items (batteries, household hazardous waste, electronics) to even college/university sporting events. You can attend or organize an event in your area. Simple steps can be found on the America Recycles Day website.
Illinois has four upcoming events to celebrate America Recycles Day including “America Recycles Day – It’s Electric!” on Nov. 19 in Urbana, Ill. Be on the look-out for more info on this event and other similar opportunities such as ISTC’s Illini Gadget Garage. This campus program reduces technology trash by empowering people to fix their own electronics, extending their useful life, with a do-it-yourself approach.
Resources:
- Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures (U.S. EPA)
- 11 Facts About Recycling (DoSomething.org)
- General Recycling Facts (Recycle Across America)
- America Recycles Day
- National Recycling Coalition
- Keep America Beautiful
- America Recycles Day – It’s Electric! (Urbana, Ill.)
Walgreens has started a medicine take back program at select Walgreens in Illinois. If all goes well, they will be expanding the program to other states later this year. A full list of take-back locations and more details about the program can be found in their 
CASI recently released a document discussing 2014 and 2015 publications related to sustainability (
Many people are now aware that they shouldn’t flush unwanted drugs down the toilet because those chemicals end up in waterways and pollute the environment. So what is the correct way to dispose of unwanted medicine?
The U.S. EPA recommends that unwanted drugs including prescriptions, over-the-counter, and pet medicines be disposed of though a one-day or permanent take-back program. These take-back programs are typically at local police stations or pharmacies. If and only if it is absolutely not feasible to take the unwanted drugs to a collection site, then the medicines should be mixed with kitty litter or coffee grounds, sealed in a water proof container, and placed in the trash. These safe disposal methods also reduce incidences of accidental poisonings in children, elderly, and pets and reduce drug abuse.
While the majority of drugs are taken by pill, some require injection which leaves behind needles and syringes, called sharps. Sharps have special disposal requirements because once they have touched a person’s blood they are then considered biohazardous materials and can be vectors for the spread of certain diseases. Because of this risk, sharps are not allowed in household recycling bins or in the take-back program bins or at household hazardous waste collection sites. Residents are allowed to place sharps in ridged plastic containers sealed with duct tape with the words “do not recycle” on the outside and then place the containers into the trash. But this method is not the safest for the environment or for landfill employees. The best method recommended by the U.S. EPA is to find a sharps collection site (typically at hospitals) or use a mail-back program.
Once the drugs and sharps are collected by their designated collectors, they are securely transported to a special medical incinerator that is designed to handle these types of waste streams with specialized equipment to prevent environmental pollution.
The charcoal vs. gas debate isn’t as clear cut as you might think. While it is fairly obvious that charcoal puts out more particulate matter when burning, it also gives off about two times more carbon dioxide emissions than propane gas. Initially then because of those points, I thought gas was more environmentally friendly, but let’s take a step back and look at the whole picture.
Buy local – Shopping at your local farmers’ market for fresh salad ingredients can significantly reduce your carbon footprint and also reduce the packaging that will end up in the landfill.