Turning Trash into Treasure: The USA’s New Frontier in Waste Recycling and Sustainability
United States waste recycling, a new economic and ecological challenge
Many American cities are drowning in waste since China stopped buying it for recycling. A situation which has led Americans to a certain ecological awareness. To have less waste to recycle, it is better to produce less.
Hundreds of American cities are no longer able to recycle their waste since China refuses to take charge of it. So some localities dump their recyclable waste in landfills, waiting to find a solution. For some, this is obvious: consume less plastic. So states, cities and associations are pushing Americans to change their habits.
What we are doing is a charade. Some residents of Corpus Christi, Texas are very attentive to sorting their waste. The jar of peanut butter, which is greasy, they put it in the dishwasher before throwing it in the blue trash can. They thus clean all this waste for better recycling, which is a bit ridiculous. Except that for six months, half of the city’s recyclable waste has ended up in the incinerator, burned with rubbish.
When we learned that this recycling was not real, our heads exploded, according to a resident who learned about this situation in the press. Imagine a city of half a million inhabitants that does all this so badly. It’s absurd. What they are doing is a masquerade.
When China no longer wants to be the world’s recycler
And why does Corpus Christi no longer recycle all this waste even though it is conscientiously sorted by its residents? The answer lies more than 10,000 km away, in China. The country bought the vast majority of American recyclable waste: 4,000 containers filled with plastics every day. But overnight, Beijing closed its doors, arguing that this activity was no longer profitable enough and too polluting. China no longer wants to be the world’s recycler. For lack of an outlet, American recyclable waste has lost its value.
And with this trade ceasing, an entire sector is in difficulty. The market in the United States is dry, no one wants to take our materials like glass, cans, bottles” laments a company owner which collects waste for resale. They were paid 30 dollars per ton, but now it just costs five dollars per ton. For its part, the city of Corpus Christi, which made money by selling its waste, suddenly found itself with an astronomical bill to have it treated.
A certain ecological awareness
The United States therefore finds itself with mountains of waste on its hands, which raises awareness even if the Americans remain the largest producers of waste in the world. There is a growing movement to stop overconsuming disposable products. New York has just banned single-use plastic bags, California has done the same for plastic straws. But the best solution would above all be to have less waste.
From May, a new service will bring the deposit system up to date. With The Loop, who is at the origin of the project, wants to offer to fill containers with everyday products, from shampoo to olive oil to replace packaging disposable with reusable containers. Ice creams would thus be sold in steel pots rather than cardboard. We come directly to collect the containers from you, we take them away, we clean them and we give them back to the producers who refill them. And here they are again on the circuit!
When your bottle no longer has orange juice or your pot of ice cream is finished, you throw them away. Except that you do not throw them in a normal trash can or for recyclable waste but in a bin for reuse. No need to clean or sort, we come directly to collect the containers from your home, we take them away, we clean them and we give them back to the producers who refill them. And there they are returned to the circuit.
Waste management experts convinced 25 of the world’s largest groups to participate: Procter and Gamble (Oral B, Swiffer, Pampers), Unilever (Ben&Jerry’s, Amora, Dove), Nestlé or Haagen-Dazs and even Carrefour. It is in Texas that this service will be launched first, before arriving in New York. It will then expand to Europe and Japan, hoping to revolutionize the way we consume, and therefore throw away.
Best Food For Your Health
Improving one’s own health can be a dire task. If you’re one who doesn’t like to prepare proper food and who lives off on fast food take outs, this might be a huge leap for you. A bit difficult, but not impossible.
Aspiring for a long and healthy life does not come easy if you’re unwilling to make some changes. Putting a conscious effort in in this change does add up to the longevity of life that you want.
The best place to start living healthily is to eat healthy. Here are the 5 foods that you should eat every day.
Leafy Greens
A professor from Columbia University named Audrey Cross, author of numerous dietary guides, said that many people pass by the greenery section of the supermarket because people don’t know how to prepare them. Here are the leafy, green vegetables you should eat: spinach, broccoli, Swiss Chars, mustard greens, bok choy and kale (the vegetable with the highest antioxidant content among all leafy greens).
Leafy greens are generally bitter because of its phytochemical content. You can use your favorite dressing to cover up the bitter taste.
Flaxseeds
These tiny things are rich in fiber and can lower your cholesterol. Aside from that, it treats constipation too. Flaxseeds can also help you stay healthy as it contains polyphenols that can also prevent cancer. It contains omega-3 fatty acids too, so this is also very good for your heart health.
Flaxseeds, thought very nutritious, can be a little tricky to store. You have to put them in the fridge or they’ll go rancid. Preparing them is quite simple. You can simply put them inside a coffee grinder, or a heavy-duty blender, sprinkle it on top of your salads, cereals or even yogurt snacks. You can also toss them on your meatloaf, meat dishes and cookie batters.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is not just good for making cookies, they are also great for your metabolism. Known as a good source of fiber, oatmeal is can also keep your cholesterol at bay. Oatmeal generally contains lesser calories, no sugar and is versatile in many dishes.
You can add this in your morning cereal or eat it plain with a little non-fat milk or almond milk. Oatmeal will help you feel fuller in longer periods of time, so this is a good way to pang your appetite.
Olive Oil
This oil is very versatile as it can be used for cooking and making dressings for your salad. This powerhouse food goes perfectly well with green leafy vegetables and can be used for other forms of cooking. The term “extra virgin” denotes to the less processed kind and should be your number one choice.
The reason why this is good for you is because olive oil doesn’t cling to your arteries. Unlike other saturated fats, olive oil contains antioxidants called polyphenols that are also found in green teas.
Tea and Coffee
As long as you don’t add sugar and milk, tea and coffee can be your best friend at any time of the day. It’s a great way to kick start your morning as it contains caffeine. Caffeine is good for the body’s thermogenesis – this promotes faster metabolic rate and weight loss.
Aside from that, they can make you very regular in the bathroom. Green tea is most especially good for you because it is rich in polyphenols that can fight free radicals.
There are still a number of healthy foods out there. Eating right requires proper planning as well. It will be difficult at the beginning, but it will also be very worthwhile in the long run. The best time to start is now. With a little bit of research, you can begin the kind of healthy lifestyle you want.