Jai Shroff | CEO UPL Limited

From the greenhouse gases released by commuting long distances via airplane or car to the dramatic consumption in large, luxury hotels, travel can put a major strain on the environment.

However, there is a new wave of hotels making efforts to reduce their impact. Not only that, they are making efforts to improve local communities, educate travelers, and exist in harmony with their local environments.

Here are four of the world’s most eco-friendly hotels:

1. Inspira Santa Marta Hotel

A boutique spa-hotel in Lisbon, Portugal, the Inspira Santa Marta has built its entire business around sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices.

One of the most immediate ways that Inspira Santa Marta reduced its impact on the environment was by rebuilding a print factory rather than occupying new land. It also used a variety of eco-friendly materials during its construction, including rockwool insulation and cork flooring.

Thirty-five solar panels provide hot water for the hotel. Dual-flush toilets and sensored taps help to reduce water waste.

The Inspira Santa Marta’s practices reflect a commitment to green operation, as well. Over 90 percent of its suppliers are national, which decreases the need for transporting supplies over long distances as well as the carbon footprint associated with that travel. Inspira also implements paperless policies whenever possible and serves water in refillable, recycled glass bottles to reduce waste.

The hotel has a variety of green certifications, including Green Globe Certification and the Travelife Sustainability System Certification. Inspira Santa Marta has also won a number of awards for its green efforts.

In 2014, it was recognized as Green Hotel of the Year by the European Hospitality Awards. In 2016, Inspira Santa Marta was a finalist in the National Geographic World Legacy Awards.

2. Yassat Gloria Hotel and Apartments

Opened in 2010, the Yassat Gloria Hotel and Apartments in Dubai, UAE, has demonstrated a serious commitment to sustainability in its operations. At Yassat, guests are provided with cards that allow them to communicate when their linens or towels need to be laundered, which dramatically reduces energy and water use.

Another way the hotel is battling energy waste is by using high-efficiency LED light bulbs in every guest room as well as large-size shampoo and hand soap in the bathrooms. This prevents the packaging waste associated with smaller, single-serving bathroom amenities.

Yassat Gloria is also an official partner of the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS), which is associated with the World Wildlife Fund. The hotel supports the efforts of the EWS to conserve land and ocean environments to protect the UAE’s fragile ecosystems.

The Yassat Gloria is Green Globe Certified and won a Green Hotelier Award in 2016.

3. The Cayuga Collection

A collection of 8 small eco-lodges scattered throughout Costa Rica and Nicaragua, The Cayuga Collection is owned by two graduates of the Cornell University Hotel School. They built the Cayuga Collection around the intersection of luxury and sustainability.

One way this collection of hotels is taking a stand for environmental effort is through its menus. The restaurants at Cayuga hotels feature local, sustainable delicacies - nothing endangered or overfished, such as tuna.

Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality also keeps its hotels small to reduce their footprint. Many of the hotels only hire individuals native to the area, which improves the local economy and revitalizes communities.

Several of the Cayuga Collection hotels do not have air conditioning, instead relying on the South American breeze to keep guests comfortable. Low-flow toilets and location-specific water treatment systems help the Cayuga hotels preserve water.

Above all, the Cayuga Collection values education as a pillar of its eco-tourism strategy. By informing the public about the precious local environment, it hopes to inspire a generation of eco-minded travelers.

4. The Scarlet

The Scarlet in Cornwall, England, is a seaside luxury hotel that has demonstrated a commitment to sustainability since before its construction. It is located on the former site of an old hotel that was carefully demolished.

- Image by Matt Taylor | Flickr

The cement used to construct The Scarlet was recycled from waste. Additionally, non-toxic, water-based paints were used throughout the building. The Scarlet is well-insulated and air-tight, which helps to reduce the need for heat from its biomass boiler, which runs on waste.

Around the world, entrepreneurs are creating profitable businesses that aim to affect some kind of social, cultural, or environmental change rather than merely generate profit for the owners or other stakeholders. As such, these organizations, known as “social enterprises,” reinvest the majority of their revenues back into their pursuit of their ultimate mission. Many of these companies also strongly value sustainability and structure their operations in such a way that they have little environmental impact.

Social enterprises are all about people engaging in trade to fund their larger goals. Among the issues that social enterprises commonly address are reducing unemployment rates, preserving the environment, and protecting vulnerable members of the community. However, some businesses, like the following three Australian companies, manage to combine several of these focuses:

1.  Green Collect

Sally Quinn and Darren Andrews started Green Collect 12 years ago. After much research, the two combined their significant experience in environmentalism and social work to create a business that could solve problems both areas.

To help the environment, Green Collect provides a collection service for office materials, like e-waste, keyboards, cables, or IT equipment, that are tough to recycle. It also collects small office items such as whiteboards, tape dispensers, and binders. When customers call to request its recycling services, Green Collect drops off a recycling box at the specified location, the company fills it with whatever it wants to dispose of, and then Green Collect returns to retrieve the box. The collection process is available as an on-going service or as a one-time pickup.

After taking possession of the box, Green Collect begins a thorough sorting process in hopes of disposing of each item in the best method for the environment, either by repurposing, recycling, or upcycling it. To help businesses track their environmental footprint, Green Collect also provides its clients with a report on the final weight of their donation and where each item ended up.

Green Collect fulfills its social mission by choosing to hire and train people who have previously faced challenges in obtaining employment. These employees prepare the collected items for resale in one of Green Collect’s retail shops in Yarraville or Braybrook. The company also maintains an online store where it sells upcycled goods.

2.   Green Connect

Based in Illawarra, a region of Australia where many people are unemployed, especially refugees and young people, Green Connect is another social enterprise working to combine an environmental and a social mission. The organization provides waste inspections for events, schools, and businesses, and uses this information to create more environmentally sound waste management plans for them. As part of its service, Green Connect also hosts trainings, sets up new bin systems at client’s locations, and offers support as clients implement the new process.

The company also runs a fresh vegetable subscription program that lets people order a specific vegetable to be planted and harvested on Green Connect’s farm. Its work is meant to be a multipurpose solution that creates jobs, alleviates food insecurity, and reduces the community’s environmental impact. So far, the results are impressive. Last year, Green Connect saved approximately 3 million pounds of recyclable waste, grew over 16,000 pounds of healthy food, and provided jobs for more than 100 people in need.

3.  Good Cycle

The Melbourne-based company Good Cycle strives to create training, employment, and support for socially disadvantaged people. To fund these initiatives, it offers workshops to teach people the basics of maintaining a bike and runs a shop and service center in the city’s Docklands neighborhood. Good Cycle also provides a mobile mechanic service, sending employees equipped with tools and bike parts around town to help bicyclists on-the-go.

All of Good Cycle’s revenue returns to the community in the form of social programs. These programs address several at-risk groups, including refugees, youth, those who have been unemployed for long periods of time, people with mental health problems, and individuals who face challenges in obtaining housing.

To help prepare job seekers for full employment, Good Cycle implements a three-step program. The first, called the Pedal Empowerment Program, or PEP, introduces beginner concepts in bicycling as well as early skills for employment, such as creating a resume and interviewing. PEP feeds into one of two programs: a higher-level mechanics course and help with job-search activities or a three-to-six-month contract working for Good Cycle.

Any discussion of environmentalism and waste management is bound to include the phrase “the three Rs,” which refers to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Many environmentalists argue that all three of these strategies are superior to sending waste to a landfill, but one of these strategies, recycling, is the subject of great debate. In fact, there are a number of criticisms of recycling, including the following:

1.     It fosters passiveness.

Some critics say that recycling—symbolized by three arrows arranged in a triangular shape—encourages consumerism by making people feel as though they aren’t creating waste. When in reality, recycling an item does not mean that people can reuse the material endlessly in a continual cycle. There is also a limit to how many times any material can be recycled. The recycling loop isn’t really a loop at all—it is simply a slower path towards the landfill.

Recycled products often do not end up as new materials or products that are comparable to their original quality. In fact, many materials, including plastic, are often “downcycled,” or turned into a material of less value than the original material. This means that consumers will keep buying “new” products to obtain that level of quality. Recycling supporters respond by arguing that even when something is downcycled, that process reduces the global demand for raw materials, which is good for the planet.

Paper is another item that people commonly downcycle. For example, a nice sheet of notebook paper might eventually become toilet paper. Still, for every sheet of recycled paper the population uses, it uses one less sheet of virgin paper made from a tree.

Critics say that encouraging consumers to recycle might steer them away from the other two Rs, reduction and reuse, which are arguably more effective in helping the environment than recycling. It’s possible that many well-meaning individuals don’t realize that recyclable materials don’t have endless lifespans. When we consume items and put them in the recycling bin, we are still contributing to the creation of waste.

2.     It’s expensive.

Another critique of recycling is that it is far more costly than simply sending materials to the landfill. For example, burying roughly 2,000 lbs. of garbage in New York City would cost $300 less than recycling that same amount.

This observation about expense is often true because recycling requires more action than merely dumping waste into a landfill. In order to be fit to use again, recycled materials must be collected, cleaned, sorted, processed, packaged, and transported. Supporters of recycling say these costs are worth the carbon savings and other positive environmental factors, but critics continue to debate this point.

3.     It’s unnecessary.

One major argument in support of recycling is that it prevents green land from being turned into landfill space. But critics state that there is plenty of space on the planet to accommodate our trash for years to come. Additionally, they explain that landfills aren’t unusable after we’ve dumped trash there—people can transform them into green spaces and parks. One famous example of a landfill conversion is Freshkills Park, an ongoing project in Staten Island, New York.

- Image by Inhabitat | Flickr

Even when one considers that recycling reduces the demand for virgin products, there are instances when people might view the process as unnecessary. Glass, for example, is made from sand, which is a highly abundant resource of which there is virtually no risk of scarcity.

4.      It uses more energy than it saves.

One MIT study showed that certain recycling processes actually use more energy than they save. The study found that even if the creation of a recycled product—say, replacing the tread on old tires to make them usable again—used less energy than the creation of an original product, the life cycle of the recycled product might be less efficient Using the example of the tires: retread tires resulted in worse gas mileage for drivers, which is ultimately more damaging to the environment than if the driver had used new tires.

Critics also point to the energy costs of recycling centers themselves. The process of recycling within a community requires the use of trucks and factories that might offset any energy savings from recycling.

5.      It takes away jobs.

Recycling items reduces the need for new, original products. Critics say that the people working in factories to create those new products suffer from job loss as a result of decreased demand.

Water is a precious resource, and many of the world’s citizens don’t have enough of it. Many areas of the world—including parts of India, the US, and South America—are experiencing record-breaking droughts. This lack of water not only impacts a community’s economy and agriculture, but it can also cause severe health issues in the human and animal populations.

This problem is not going to go away without a conscious global effort. With increased population growth comes greater pressure on our existing water resources. A UN report estimated that the world will have 40% less water than is necessary to sustain the population by the year 2030. One of the ways that communities across the world are attempting tackle this issue is by recycling water.

What is recycled water?

The process of recycling gives new life to used water. In the same way that a plastic bottle can be remade into a backpack or a duffel bag, water can be cleaned and used for another purpose. After water is used for purposes such as bathing or washing dishes, it can be cleaned, treated, and reused—as well as consumed—in the usual manner.

Orange County

One example of a community that has embraced water recycling is Orange County, Calif. California has been experiencing a major drought for several years, so there was an incentive for communities statewide to find innovative solutions to the dwindling water reserves. The Orange County Water District did just that with its Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS). The GWRS has been purifying wastewater for more than 800,000 Orange County residents since 2008. The process of making sewage drinkable begins with the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD), which treats the wastewater before sending it to the GWRS. The OCSD monitors what businesses put into the sewers to ensure that the wastewater that arrives at OCSD isn’t contaminated with heavy metals. Through a series of filters and clarifiers, the OCSD ensures that the water is already highly purified before it enters the GWRS.

Once the water arrives at the GWRS, it is subject to a three-step purification process: microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light disinfection. The GWRS produces about 36 billion gallons of purified water annually. Most of it is used to replenish aquifers around Orange County, but some is placed into injection wells which prevent seawater from infecting the area’s drinking water.

Singapore

Singapore, a small but population-dense island, has always faced a challenge in providing its citizens with fresh drinking water. This challenge has been somewhat mitigated through the process of borrowing water from nearby Malaysia, but that arrangement will not always provide for the country’s needs. In order to prepare for the day when Singapore will need to supply water for its people without Malaysia’s help, the country has undertaken several water projects, including a water reclamation project called NEWater.

Singapore has five operational NEWater facilities that provide for 30% of the country’s water needs. NEWater plants use a system similar to that of Orange County’s GWRS: the three-step process starts with microfiltration, moves onto reverse osmosis, and ends with disinfection using ultraviolet light. Only a small portion of the water from NEWater facilities is mixed into Singapore’s reservoirs and provided to the public as drinking water, and this is only undertaken during months with very little rain. More often, this reclaimed water is used industrially and commercially.

Namibia

Namibia, and specifically its capital and largest city, Windhoek, has a complicated history in regards to water availability and use. In Windhoek, a large population, low rainfall, and high temperatures all contribute to water scarcity, a problem the city has been seeking to address in various ways for decades. Eventually, the City of Windhoek became a pioneer in the water reclamation movement as a result of the Goreangab Water Reclamation Plant.

The plant’s history dates back to 1969, when Windhoek first began treating used water and mixing it with the city’s drinking water. While the original plant underwent a number of upgrades throughout the 1990s, it ultimately failed to keep up with the city’s growing water needs. Thus, Windhoek completed a new Goreangab plant in 2002 using loans from European financial institutions.

Unlike Orange County’s GWRS and Singapore’s NEWater facilities, the Goreangab plant was incapable of using reverse osmosis as part of its filtration system. Thus, the plant uses the “multiple barrier system” to purify reclaimed water. Tap water in Windhoek generally contains about 30% reclaimed water from the Goreangab plant mixed with 70% surface water.

The Power of Innovation

India has a pollution problem. The country is consistently ranked by the World Health Organization as having some of the most severe air pollution in the world. Some studies even estimate that over half of the Indian population lives in a place where the air is considered unsafe.

Water pollution is a problem, too - the Ganga and Yamuna rivers are considered some of the most polluted rivers in the world. This rampant pollution presents a number of severe health problems for India’s residents, such as asthma, lung cancer, and other, sometimes fatal, illnesses.

However, the Indian government is making efforts to reduce India’s pollution and encourage green development in the country. The US Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, has long been partnering with Indian officials to pursue environmental measures. Like other members of the international community, the two countries have collaborated to improve air and water quality in India through a number of joint efforts.

AirNOW-International

India is a participating partner in the EPA’s AirNow-International program. This program provides the public with real-time information about the air quality in their area.

AirNow-I also provides India with software to process air quality data and identify methods for quality control. Finally, it helps the government to engage the public in improving air quality.

Air Pollution Control

The EPA demonstrated a number of air pollution reduction technologies across India between 2003 and 2010. It did so as part of a cooperative partnership between the EPA, India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests, the State of Maharashtra, and the Municipality of Pune.

Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center

India and the US launched the Partnership to Advance Clean Energy, or PACE, in late 2009. As part of PACE, India partnered with the US Department of Energy to establish the Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Center (JCERDC).

This center is intended to promote scientific collaboration between US and Indian researchers on the clean energy frontier. Originally, the center focused on three areas: solar energy, second generation biofuels, and building energy efficiency. In 2015, the US and India expanded the JCERDC program to include a new research track addressing Smart Grid and Grid Storage.

Global Methane Initiative

India is also a voluntary member of the EPA’s Global Methane Initiative, or GMI. The GMI is a partnership involving several different countries with a goal of reducing methane emissions throughout the world and furthering research about the recovery and use of methane as an energy resource.

The GMI targets methane production in three specific sectors: biogas, coal, and oil and gas. India participates in all three sectors and co-chairs the biogas and coal sectors.

The EPA has provided India with grants for methane reduction work through the GMI. These grants have contributed to the creation of projects in all sectors throughout the country.

Legal and Institutional Efforts

The EPA has also participated in efforts to help Indian officials enforce environmental protections at the legal and governmental levels. In 2005, the EPA and the India Central Pollution Control Board partnered to produce a report that explored environmental compliance and enforcement in India.

The report put forth 11 recommendations that, if implemented, would improve the country’s compliance with its existing environmental statutes, regulations, and permit conditions.

In a more hands-on approach, the EPA facilitated a training for the State Pollution Control Boards of India. The training provided officials with tools and concepts for better enforcement of environmental policies.

The EPA also helped with the production of a handbook that provides tools for officials to increase their local community’s compliance with hazardous waste policies. The Environmental Law Institute and National Law School of India University published this handbook in April of 2014.

International E-waste Management Network

India was a participant in the third annual International E-waste Management Network (IEMN) Meeting in 2013. The IEMN is a partnership that fosters communication among Asia-Pacific countries regarding e-waste management.

While at the meeting, participants from India had the opportunity to learn about how the US is tackling the problem of e-waste. Sessions explored everything from state-specific e-waste programs to a country-wide system for appliance recycling.

An Indian EPA

One outcome of India’s close partnership with the EPA is a new government body. The EPA provided support for the Indian government to launch the National Environment Appraisal and Monitoring Authority, or NEAMA (sometimes called the National Environment Protection Authority) in the spring of 2014.

This independent, professional body would be in charge of all environmental clearances for any kind of building project. This clearance is required by India’s Environment Protection Act of 1986.

The US and India have proven to be effective and important partners in furthering global environmental goals. The severity of India’s pollution problem affects not only its citizens, but also the entire world.

Have you ever wondered where your recyclables go after the collection truck carries off the bin’s contents of plastic, cardboard, and paper? For many of us, the answer is a Materials Recovery Facility, or MRF. As of 2013, there were 563 residential MRFs in the United States, a number that is sure to grow as these facilities become more efficient and advanced.

Here is more information on MRFs and how they process recyclables.

What is an MRF?

An MRF is a plant where recyclables are separated and prepared for sale to manufacturers.

Different Types of MRFs

There are three different types of MRFs. The first, called a dual-stream MRF, accepts materials that have already been separated, often a mixture of fiber and packaging. The second, called a single-stream MRF, is a bit more complex, as it can process as many as 35 or more different, co-mingled materials.

Both of these types of facilities will end up sorting out some non-recyclable waste from their material streams. However, this usually amounts to only 10 percent of what they receive.

The third type of MRF is called a mixed-waste MRF. These facilities accept all types of solid waste, including garbage, which they separate out from the recyclable materials and send to a landfill or waste conversion facility.

Mixed-waste MRFs are sometimes called “dirty” facilities, while the other two types (where only recyclables are accepted) are referred to as “clean.” Dirty MRFs generally produce far less recovered materials for sale. The recovered materials they do produce are generally more contaminated with broken glass or trash. Of the 563 MRFs in the US, only about 5 percent are dirty.

How Does an MRF work?

Most of us know the first step in the life cycle of a recyclable material: we clean it, collapse it (in the case of cardboard), and put it in the bin. Once that bin is collected by recycling crews, they carry the materials off to an MRF for the first step: sorting.

Step 1: Sorting

First, the recyclables are weighed and moved off of the collection truck and onto the MRF floor. Workers then sort materials into different streams and onto conveyor belts. For example, there might be a conveyor belt for mixed materials that includes cans, plastic bottles, and glass, while another belt takes mixed papers.

Gravity and weight often help with this step. The conveyor belts might be arranged with a gap that is followed by an incline. That means that paper products travel up the higher belt, while containers made of heavier materials fall onto the lower belt.

This first step of sorting depends on how the consumer sorts their recyclables. This is why it is very important to know and follow the local guidelines for recycling correctly. There are also several pieces of equipment that help with the sorting process.

Sorting Technologies

Several different technologies help to streamline the sorting process for recyclables. Sorting is often completed by a combination of automated processes and plant workers. By measuring different qualities of the materials, technology plays an important role in the sorting process.

Sorting by Weight

Because glass materials are heavier than plastic, weight is often used to separate these two materials. In much the same way that paper is separated from heavier materials, a gap in conveyor belts can move lighter plastics along. 

Glass falls into a pit, where it breaks. This mass of broken glass is called “cullet” and is sent to a glass recycling facility. Some facilities separate glass bottles out without breaking them, sterilizing them for reuse.

Sorting by Magnetism

Steel has the property of magnetism, while other recyclable materials do not. This means that large overhead magnets can be used to separate steel cans and other ferrous metals from the remaining products.

Aluminum cans and other non-ferrous metals won’t be collected by the magnet. However, a piece of equipment called an eddy current separator works as a sort of reverse magnet, capturing these products and sorting them into a separate bin.

Sorting by Optical Density

Optical density technology is used for sorting different types of plastics. The optical sorting equipment measures the exact composition of each plastic material to decide where it should go.

Step 2: Preparation

After materials have been properly sorted, they are prepared for transport. Materials like plastics and some metal products can be compressed into square packages or baled like hay. These bales can weigh anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 pounds.

Step 3: Sale

The bales and other prepared materials are then purchased by manufacturers, who use them to create new products.

Challenges for MRFs

One of the biggest challenges MRFs face is the presence of unwanted materials in their recycling streams. When a non-recyclable material shows up in the stream at a clean MRF, manual sorting is required.

MRF streams are often contaminated by large items, trash, and plastic grocery bags. Their presence means MRFs are not able to fully rely on their automated technologies and equipment. This decreases their efficiency.

Furthermore, the process of sorting and preparing these recyclables for sale becomes more expensive when additional employees are required. This means that to cover their costs, the facilities have to charge more when they sell their prepared recyclables to manufacturers.

Two organizations have a major influence on the recycling industry in North America: The National Waste and Recycling Association and the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA). To understand these organizations and their impact on the industry, it’s important to learn about their history, activities, and member base.

National Waste and Recycling Association

The National Waste and Recycling Association is an industry trade group that represents waste and recycling companies in the United States that are not under government control (i.e., private companies only). The association also represents tertiary groups that do business with these waste and recycling companies, such as manufacturers and service providers.

The National Waste and Recycling Association has members in all 50 of the US states. Its purpose is to provide support, education, and advocacy for American waste and recycling companies.

History

The National Waste and Recycling Association started in 1962 under the title, “National Council of Refuse Disposal Trade Associations.” The Association has undergone a number of iterations and was reorganized into its current existence as the National Waste and Recycling Association in 2013.

Education

The Association developed a public education website called Beginwiththebin.org, where it provides information about the waste and recycling industries, including a Frequently Asked Questions section that explores the different types of waste and waste disposal methods.

Advocacy

Another way the National Waste and Recycling Association influences the recycling and waste industries in the US is through advocacy. It advocates for a variety of environmental issues, including new vehicle technology, recycling, healthcare waste, sustainable materials management, and landfills.

It also advocates to protect the drivers of Commercial Motor Vehicles by supporting or opposing legislation on matters like hours of service, onboard cameras, accident causation, and other regulations.

The Association participates in other legal proceedings regarding the transportation of solid waste across state lines, which has consistently caused tension among the state, local, and federal levels of government in the US.

Solid Waste Association of North America

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is slightly different from the National Waste and Recycling Association in both its member base and mission. SWANA is not a trade group, and its members include both public and private sector professionals in the solid waste management industry.

Its mission is to change the perception and management of solid waste by advocating that it be treated as a resource, rather than a waste product.

History

SWANA began in Los Angeles, California, in 1961 as the Governmental Refuse Collection and Disposal Association (GRCDA). What started as a small group of program supervisors seeking opportunities for professional development steadily grew to over 900 members throughout the Western US by 1978.

In 1991, the organization changed its name to SWANA to reflect the expanding nature of the industry. It is now the largest member-based solid waste association in the world, with more than 8,500 members.

Education and Research

SWANA offers an extensive array of training and continuing education opportunities to its members. It also plans and executes research projects about solid waste management practices through its Applied Research Foundation, which was established in 2000.

The Foundation provides regular reports in the categories of Waste Reduction and Recycling, Collection, Waste to Energy, and Disposal.

Events

Two benchmark events hosted by SWANA offer opportunities for its members and other industry leaders to share information and network with each other. The North American Waste-to-Energy Conference (NAWTEC) is a conference and trade show covering the topics of policy, technology, and research in the waste-to-energy field.

The SWANApalooza is an exhibition of four events in one, including a Landfill Symposium, a Landfill Gas and Biogas Symposium, a Zero Waste Conference, and a training event.

Joint Advisory on Designing Contracts

SWANA and the National Waste and Recycling Association are on the front lines of the recycling and waste industries in North America, so they often take joint stances on public issues. The two groups came together to release a guide for professionals looking to create contracts for recycling collection and processing. The guide is a collection of protocols and standards for residential collection of recyclables and transport to a Material Recovery Facility.

Joint Comments on EPA Emission Guidelines

SWANA and the National Waste and Recycling Association also teamed up to provide comments on the EPA’s Emission Guideline Revisions in 2015. These guidelines were the first significant update on landfill protocol since 1996, and the revisions lowered the emissions threshold for landfills in the US.

As this change significantly impacts both organizations, the group collaborated on a published commentary. The primary message from their joint document was that the increased cost necessary to lower the emission threshold would not provide enough benefits to be worth it. The associations also provided a number of steps the EPA could take to collect and control landfill gas more effectively.

Many things can be recycled. Land recycling refers to the redevelopment of vacant properties that have been abandoned or underused. Many sites that have potential for land recycling are called “brownfields.” These properties are empty because they are contaminated by - or thought to be contaminated by - a pollutant or pollutants.

Brownfields present a variety of challenges for land recycling, but they also have a wealth of potential if they can be rehabilitated and redeveloped. The United States alone is estimated to hold almost half a million brownfields and 15 million acres of potentially contaminated property. Land recycling is intended to repurpose these properties for sustainable development.

Benefits of Land Recycling

It’s important to note that the abandoned properties where land recycling is possible are often located in low-income communities. The process of turning these vacant properties into more useful spaces has the potential to significantly benefit these communities.

Land recycling developments create jobs and improve both neighborhood beauty and community spirit. The addition of residential, commercial, and green spaces acts as an economic stimulus for the community and boosts local tax revenues.

Envision an old, abandoned factory that is replaced by a multi-purpose center with new grocery stores, public transit, and senior housing. The financial impact is obvious, but the impact on morale is also considerable.

Furthermore, new developments on recycled land allow for existing infrastructure to grow, as opposed to urban sprawl extending into undeveloped land (also called “greenfields”). The conservation of undeveloped land is one of the greatest benefits of land recycling.

Sprawl is dangerous because it demands greater use of cars for travel, which results in increased environmental pollution, traffic jams, and health problems. The alternative - developments on recycled land within existing communities - leads to more compact, functional urban centers.

Obstacles to Land Recycling

One of the major drawbacks of land recycling is stigma. The properties that are best suited for recycling are often in areas that don’t have a lot of market value.

A new property that was built on top of a formerly-contaminated factory site doesn’t have as much appeal for purchasers and renters as a property that was built on a greenfield. There is more money to be made when one builds on green space, so many investors shy away from land recycling because of a lack of significant profit.

There are also legal risks for owners of properties on recycled land. As the law stands in many U. S. states, the property owner can be held accountable for the environmental and health consequences of new builds on contaminated property. Thus, most people feel it is safer and easier to avoid these properties rather than rehabilitate them.

Furthermore, cleaning up a contaminated site can be extremely expensive. This not only deters potential investors from getting involved with a property, but can also slow down the redevelopment of that land. Financing is more challenging to obtain for brownfields than for previously undeveloped land.

Evaluating Distressed Properties

Despite the wealth of challenges, it is possible to remediate a brownfield and recycle the valuable land it sits upon. While the process is not linear, nor is it the same for every property, there are steps that can return these properties to usefulness.

The process is complex, with regulations at all levels of government in the U. S., and usually requires the help of a legal expert. It may also be advisable to pursue environmental insurance to help mitigate unknown risks when cleaning up a brownfield.

The first step in remediating a brownfield is assessing any damage through a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment. This step essentially pieces together a thorough history of the site through interviews and documents.

Certified consultants walk potential owners through the process of discovering the extent of a property’s contamination. This is useful because one has to understand problems in order to fix them.

Once the environmental condition of a property has been determined, a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment can help to clarify the nature of any contamination in detail. Samples are taken to laboratories, and soil and groundwater contaminants are identified and quantified. This information can give owners a better idea of the potential cost of clean-up.

Developing Distressed Properties

The clean-up plan for a brownfield is often a team effort between environmental consultants and project managers. Using the information from the Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, the team designs and executes a unique clean-up plan for the specific brownfield.

The clean-up plan may be overseen by a regulatory agency that will eventually approve the property for use. Sometimes, however, obstacles are encountered during the cleaning process that cannot be overcome.

It’s hard to discuss the recycling industry without talking about the company called TerraCycle. The revolutionary recycling company has won over 200 awards for sustainability and social entrepreneurship, such as the UN Leader of Social Change Award, and has been named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s 100 Brilliant Companies.  The large, multifaceted company represents a new frontier in recycling and sustainability on a global scale.

The History of TerraCycle

Headquartered in New Jersey, TerraCycle was founded in 2001 by Tom Szaky. At the time, Szaky was a 19-year-old student at Princeton University. He was inspired by a trip to Montreal, where his hosts were using red worms to recycle their food scraps into fertilizer.

Szaky dedicated his time, energy, and finances to collecting food scraps from Princeton University cafeterias and using worms to convert the scraps to fertilizer. Just as he was growing exhausted from his one-man operation, an angel investor provided the cash for him to open an office space in Princeton, New Jersey.

Szaky left school in 2003 to pursue TerraCycle full-time. In 2004 the company moved into a much larger office in Trenton, New Jersey, where it remains today. The press soon took note of TerraCycle’s efforts, and large retailers such as Wal-Mart began selling the company’s plant fertilizers. The next year, TerraCycle started its Bottle Brigade program, an initiative that recycles plastic bottles into packaging for the fertilizer.

The Bottle Brigade concept for collecting uncommon recyclables became a staple for TerraCycle. In 2007 TerraCycle partnered with three companies for different “brigades.” With the aid of Honest Tea, they opened bins to collect and repurpose drink pouches (the Drink Pouch Brigade). Stonyfield Farm helped them do the same for yogurt cups (the Yogurt Cup Brigade), and Clif Bar helped them create a recycling program for energy bar wrappers (the Energy Bar Wrapper Brigade).

The Brigade programs continued to grow, and TerraCycle expanded to Brazil, Canada, and the UK by 2009. Two years later, the company launched 30 new waste collection programs and expanded their staff to over 100 employees. By the time TerraCycle was 10 years old, the company was operating more than 100 programs in 20 countries.

Zero-Waste Boxes

TerraCycle offers a selection of Zero Waste Boxes where one can gather various hard-to-recycle products such as cigarette butts, candy and snack wrappers, action figures, coffee capsules, cleaning supplies, floss, corks, cooking oil, disposable gloves, clothing, ear plugs, flip flops—almost anything imaginable. The boxes come in four sizes—pouch, small, medium, and large—and prices vary according to size.

- image by Aaron Tang | Flickr

Through partnerships between TerraCycle and manufacturing companies, some Zero Waste Boxes are free to use. For example, one Zero Waste Box is specific to Colgate Wisp mini-brushes and packaging. Individuals simply sign up online, collect their Colgate Wisp products in the box, and then ship it back to TerraCycle free of charge. TerraCycle provides a number of product-specific boxes through partnerships like this.

Municipal Partnerships

TerraCycle also partners with cities, businesses, and organizations to provide recycling for various waste streams. Several American cities, including Los Angeles, Seattle, and Baltimore, already work with TerraCycle, primarily for cigarette recycling.

Industrial and Office Waste

TerraCycle also operates on the manufacturing end to help factories recycle large amounts of waste, even purchasing waste streams from factories if they are valuable enough. TerraCycle also provides zero-waste audits for businesses.

What Happens to the Waste

TerraCycle assures its customers that it will never send their items to a landfill or incineration facility. The company adheres to a strict reuse, upcycle, or recycle (or compost) system.

- Image by Alan Levine | Flickr

Recycling is the most common fate for materials that arrive at TerraCycle (97 percent of the waste they collect is recycled). TerraCycle also employs some very creative upcycling projects, including backpacks made from juice pouches and shoes made from chip bags.

Another interesting element of TerraCycle’s work is their closed-loop solutions. Essentially, TerraCycle will try to turn your waste stream into something you can use. For example, this could mean recycling old Frisbees into new ones, or using the Frisbee material to make a new item that would be useful to the provider. TerraCycle is the creator of the first pen made from used pens!

TerraCycle’s Offices

TerraCycle has offices in seven different countries, and each site is made from upcycled, recycled, or reused materials. There are walls made from soda bottles and room dividers made from old records. Some desk tops are made from old doors, and local graffiti art covers the walls. Graffiti is a central part of TerraCycle’s culture: the company hosts an annual TerraCycle Graffiti Jam to redesign the exterior of the headquarters.

The company’s space and work are so interesting that they were featured on two cable television shows: Pivot’s Human Resources and National Geographic’s Garbage Moguls. Founder Tom Szaky has written multiple books about his experience as a sustainable business owner, including the titles Outsmart Waste and Revolution in a Bottle.

Recycling programs are implemented differently by country, and some places are doing a better job of redirecting their waste than others. A recent study by The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that Germany leads the world in recycling efforts, with a recycling rate of 65 percent. South Korea, Austria, and Slovenia also performed well, with less than half of their country-wide waste going to landfills. But with a less impressive recycling rate of just 35 percent, the US is also the world’s largest waste producer, creating over 600,000 tons of waste each day.

Here, we examine the highly effective recycling programs of the two best-performing countries, Germany and South Korea.

Germany

A large factor in the success of Germany’s recycling program is a focus on waste avoidance. Manufacturers are trying to eliminate waste in their packaging and engineering processes. Germany has passed several pieces of legislation that have impacted the country’s relationship with waste.

Packaging Ordinance

A 1991 Packaging Ordinance required manufacturers to collect packaging waste from their consumers and then reuse or recycle that waste. By putting the clean-up responsibility in the hands of the producer, this program encouraged businesses to create less waste in the first place (because they would ultimately have to deal with it).

Waste Management Act

In 1996 Germany passed the Closed Substance Cycle and Waste Management Act requiring manufacturers to do at least one of the following: avoid waste creation, recover waste by turning it into energy, and/or dispose of their waste in environmentally safe ways. This act applies to all types of waste—solid, packaging, radioactive, liquid, gaseous, and medical. As of 2007, the act had resulted in an annual waste reduction of more than 37.7 million US tons.

DSD

To help companies comply with these new laws, a nonprofit organization called Dual System Germany (DSD) was established. Manufacturers can join DSD by paying a fee that is calculated based on the weight, material, and number of items they produce. When they have obtained membership to DSD, they can print their products with a green dot, signifying their membership and their compliance with German recycling law. This “Green Dot” system is used throughout Europe, with more than 130,000 companies in 25 countries participating.

The system works, too. Germany reported that they recovered 88 percent of the commercial packaging waste created in their country in 2007.

Consumers

While Germany’s efforts to implement recycling at a producer level are impressive, the country also has an extensive program in place to encourage consumer recycling. Color-coded bins are widely available in almost all German communities. Yellow bins are for packaging, blue bins for paper and cardboard, and glass is separated by color: white bins for clear and white glass, green bins for green glass, and brown bins for brown glass. “Bio” bins are available for plant waste and food scraps, while black bins are for trash that doesn’t fall into any category. Additionally, many neighborhoods have designated areas to collect unwanted shoes, clothing, and scrap metal.

Miscellaneous items like e-waste and paint can be recycled at centers throughout the country, and some businesses have monetary incentives for consumers to return used bottles.

Zero-Waste by 2020

Once recyclable materials have been properly sorted, they are sent to recycling and treatment facilities. Materials that have reached the true end of their lifecycle are responsibly incinerated or treated and sent to a landfill. Germany hopes to reach their zero-waste goal by the year 2020 and eliminate the need for landfills.

South Korea

With a recycling rate of 59 percent, South Korea is a close second to Germany in recycling performance. South Korea is a small landmass of just under 38,000 square miles, but it has a population of over 49 million people. This means there are a lot of people creating waste, but not a lot of space for landfills.  

Volume-Based Fees

The South Korean government began to emphasize recycling in the 1990s, introducing a fee system in 1995 that was based on the volume of garbage produced. Trash could only be disposed of in biodegradable bags that had to be purchased at grocery stores. A small 10-liter bag cost the equivalent of about 27 US cents, while the 100-liter bag, the largest, cost about $2.69. The implementation of this fee system reduced South Korea’s average daily per person amount of waste by more than half. There are also fines for improperly disposing of garbage and food waste.

Recycling

One of the most prominent, yet often ignored, sources of waste is the construction of new infrastructure. Though statistics on global construction waste are difficult to find because of inconsistent definitions and practices worldwide, the Global Development Research Center estimates that construction and demolition waste account for over a quarter of the world’s waste.

People and societies will always need buildings, roads, bridges, and dams—otherwise known as civil engineering structures. These structures improve our quality of life and represent an important part of human existence, but they also generate over 1 billion tons of solid waste products every year. Construction and demolition (C&D) waste materials such as concrete, wood, asphalt, bricks, metal, glass, and plastics are created every time people build, renovate, or tear down a structure. This constant generation of waste is overwhelming landfills and hurting the planet.

Why We Need to Reduce C&D Waste

Reducing C&D waste would provide all the benefits of general waste reduction, like less need for landfills and fewer methane gas emissions. Reducing this waste would also save on building project expenses by reducing purchase costs, eliminating disposal fees, and even gaining tax benefits when workers donate materials that they recover from a construction site to charitable causes.

Ways to Reduce C&D Waste

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers the following solutions to the problem of C&D waste:

1.     Source Reduction

Source reduction is the most effective method for eliminating C&D waste. Rather than erecting new structures, people can preserve existing structures and prolong their life cycle. Other examples of source reduction include designing longer-lasting, adaptable buildings and using construction strategies that allow people to disassemble a building at the end of its life and reuse its materials. On a smaller scale, builders can participate in source reduction by employing purchasing agreements that prevent excess material and packaging from arriving at the construction site.

2. Recovery and Reuse

Demolishing buildings and other structures is an inherently unsustainable practice for which there are alternatives. One option is deconstruction—the practice of carefully disassembling an existing building with an eye towards preserving its materials to be reused or recycled. Using this method, workers remove parts individually instead of wholly destroying a structure and sending the debris to a landfill. This reduces the need for new materials and saves landfill space. Fixtures like appliances, doors, and hardware can be donated for use on another building project. Workers can also send scrap wood to be chipped and used as ground cover.

3. Recycle

When a material can’t be salvaged for reuse in any way, recycling is the next solution. Recyclers can turn excess asphalt or rubble into concrete and transform wood into mulch, compost, or even plastic-composite decking.

4. Rebuying C&D Materials

The fourth and final solution to the C&D waste problem is to purchase used or recycled materials at the start of a building project. This strategy has a number of benefits. For example, recovered materials are often sourced locally, so the local economy reaps the benefits of these purchases. In addition, rebuying validates the projects that use deconstruction instead of demolition—the items that were so carefully removed from an old structure now have a place to go. Using recycled building products rather than new ones can even lower project costs in some cases.

The following are some building materials that are made from recycled and waste products:

NewspaperWood—A Dutch designer created a wood-like substance by gluing together layers of recycled newspaper together and cutting the product into planks. The lines of layered newspaper resemble wood grain and several designers have created prototype objects, such as clock faces and furniture, using the material.

Recy-Blocks—Recy-Blocks are bricks made from one of the worst kinds of waste: plastic bags. Plastic bags are notoriously difficult to recycle, and Recy-Blocks present a new opportunity to upcycle them. The Dutch designer Gert de Mulder creates the blocks by pressing plastic bags into a mold and exposing the mold to high heat. Recy Blocks are hard and durable, which means that they can be used in much the same way as traditional bricks.

Mushroom Walls—Mushrooms present an interesting new frontier in building materials because they are made of a strong, persistent fungus called mycelium, which can grow in the dark. A company called Ecovative is building mushroom-based, biodegradable alternatives to wood and Styrofoam packaging, as well as a “Mushroom Material” that can be grown into a form of one’s choosing—one woman even grew a wedding dress from Mushroom Material.

Colleges and universities throughout the world are on the forefront of environmentalism and recycling. It is in these locations that young people are gathering to share ideas and change the world through innovative recycling programs. Here are a few.

Pepperdine University

- Image by CampusGrotto | Flickr

Pepperdine University, a Christian college with locations throughout California, has had a campus-wide recycling program since 2000. Not only does the school participate in recycling in classrooms and offices (where trash cans are available only upon request), but they also make an effort to recycle in other areas of campus life. When trees and brush are trimmed, the debris is broken down and used to line pathways or suppress weeds. Whatever debris can’t be used for these purposes is composted and used to fertilize other green spaces on campus. When a new building is erected at Pepperdine, the university ensures a diversion rate of 80 percent for construction waste. They also provide a drop-off location for e-waste and used batteries.

Chatham University

Chatham University in Pittsburgh is a leader in both recycling and composting. In 2011, the university completely eliminated the sale of plastic water bottles on their campus. They also have an innovative program that provides students with reusable take-out containers for use in the dining halls. After eliminating the use of plastic trays in the dining hall, the school estimates they have reduced energy use by 25 percent, as they no longer need to heat water for washing the trays. The school also makes other green efforts, such as purchasing renewable energy, maintaining a fleet of biodiesel shuttles buses, and converting waste fat from the dining halls into biodiesel.

American University (AU)

- Image by NCinDC | Flickr

American University adopted their Zero Waste Policy in 2010. An audit showed that paper towels accounted for 13 percent of the university’s total waste, so now paper towel waste is collected from bathrooms separately. Like Chatham, AU is working to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles and dining trays, and recycles items beyond basic paper, plastic, and cardboard. Electronics can be recycled at one of four e-waste recycling drives hosted every year, and the school works to reuse and recycle their furniture by partnering with surplus stores in the area. American University even collects vehicle waste, such as tires, batteries, and antifreeze, for recycling.

University of California, Davis (UC Davis)

UC Davis set a Zero Waste goal for the year 2020. This school’s commitment to recycling started in 1975 with the opening of Aggie Surplus, a center where extra equipment, supplies, and furniture are sold to community members in an effort to reduce waste. Annually, Aggie Surplus recycles about 120 tons of e-waste. UC Davis’s Aggie Stadium, opened in 2007, contributes to the zero-waste goal by using all compostable and recyclable packaging at their concession stands. Residence halls employ exclusively reusable plates, cups, bowls, and utensils, and the catering department provides reusable and compostable materials when hosting events.

The university also encourages sustainability among administration with an environmentally preferred purchasing policy. Departments and employees are asked to consider existing resources and a material’s entire life cycle when making any new work-related purchases. The school also recognizes that moving in and out of dormitories presents a major opportunity to generate waste. To mitigate this waste, UC Davis hosts drives in the fall and spring that encourage recycling and donating unwanted food, appliances, and clothing.

Kalamazoo College

- Image by D Borz | Flickr

Kalamazoo’s recycling program, founded in 1992, has a number of elements that make it a well-rounded and effective program. The department not only collects and sorts recyclables from the campus, but they also operate a Resource Exchange Program (REP), composting program, and Help Understanding Bikes (HUB) program. Community members can donate almost any item to REP for reuse. The items stored in Kalamazoo’s REP room are diverse: binder dividers, greeting cards, textbooks, kitchenware, clothes, and more—and all of it is completely free. This encourages students and faculty the reuse an item before purchasing a new one.

The HUB program encourages community members to use bicycles as an environmentally safe alternative to other forms of transportation. The program has 15 bikes for free rental and provides help and resources for repairing bikes.  Kalamazoo’s recycling department also operates an e-waste recycling program. Through this program, the group tries to repair and reuse electronics, but when they can’t, they partner with a handful of certified e-waste handlers in the area.

The recycling movement, like many other industries, has always been supported by technology. Scientists and researchers all over the world are constantly seeking new ways to improve recycling rates and recycle new materials. From glow-in-the-dark plastics to super strong grocery bags, here are some of the most fascinating technological innovations in the recycling world.

1. Strobe Lights

One of the most challenging things about recycling is the process of sorting various materials into like groups. Not all types of plastic can be recycled in the same way, so the sorting step is one that cannot be skipped.

Ludwig Maximilians Universitat in Munich developed a new technique that involves exposing mixed plastics to a short burst of light. The plastics that have been exposed to this burst will emit their own light, called fluorescence. Different plastics will fluoresce at different rates.

- Image by Paul | Flickr

Thus, the value of the plastic’s half-life after it is exposed to the burst of light will allow sorters to identify different types of plastic quickly and without error. This technology was able to sort 1.5 tons of plastic every hour during testing, which means it is fit for use at an industrial facility.

This new system will not only speed up the sorting process for recycled plastics, but also minimize the potential for mistakes in sorting. When more plastics are sorted correctly, more items can be made from the recycled material.

2. Wireless Sensors

Another challenge to the recycling movement is the inefficient nature of permanent collection schedules. In most places, recycling and waste bins are emptied on a set schedule regardless of the amount of waste or recycling available for pickup.

This is clearly not an efficient system, nor is it good for our environment. Unnecessary collection trucks are expensive, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and put unnecessary strain on roads.

Enevo, a company headquartered in Finland, is attempting to solve this problem. Enevo uses battery-powered, wireless sensors inside of recycling containers to measure when bins are full. These sensors can be installed on almost any container type as long as a cellular signal is available. The sensors are equipped to monitor mixed waste, paper, cardboard, glass, metal, electronic waste, and even textiles.

The Enevo software collects data about container fullness, then delivers the most efficient collection route to truck drivers, who only pick up the bins that are full. The sensor is not only good for the environment, but it also helps the consumer. Enevo customers have reported a reduction in collection costs of up to 40 percent.

3. Recycled Batteries into Solar Power

Engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US have discovered a way to use the lead from old batteries to create new solar energy cells. Disposal of batteries poses a great risk to human and environmental health, particularly in developing countries where battery usage is prevalent and recycling is relatively uncommon. The study estimated that the lead sourced from a single used battery could potentially provide enough energy via solar panels to power 30 homes.

4. Reverse Vending

Reverse vending has been a popular solution in Europe for decades, generally applied to beverage containers. The idea is that the machine works much like a soda vending machine, but instead of getting a beverage out of the machine, you put an empty bottle or can back into the machine and receive a credit. These machines automate recycling in a very fast, efficient way.

- Image by TEDxPhotos | Flickr

A relatively new innovation in the reverse vending world is reVend’s Light Bulb Recycling Reverse Vending Machine. This machine accepts all domestic light bulbs instead of beverage containers and offers various rewards to those who choose to recycle their bulbs.

Recycling light bulbs is important because they often break and release mercury when disposed of in other ways. Furthermore, the glass, metal, and other materials such as phosphor powder in used light bulbs can be reused.

5. Powerful Plastic Bags

Plastic bags can be extremely detrimental to the recycling process, often getting caught in sorting machines and slowing down or even halting progress at recycling centers. The innovation around finding new ways to recycle these plastic bags is important work, and researchers at the University of Adelaide in Australia have discovered an incredible new use for this material.

Scientists vaporized pieces of plastic bags to turn them into carbon layers, then used those layers to create carbon nanotubes (CNTs) - one of the world’s strongest and stiffest materials. CNTs are one hundred times stronger than steel, six times lighter, and have a variety of uses in electronics, batteries, and even wind turbines.

Recycling and waste management are profit-based businesses, for better or for worse. While some companies take advantage of consumers and the planet, other companies are trying to balance their profit interests with the interests of the environment.

Many of these conscientious companies participate in something called the “circular economy.” This concept is an alternative to the linear economy, in which materials are created, used, and disposed of. In a circular economy, materials are used for as long as possible and repurposed, recovered, and regenerated at the end of their original life cycle. This reduces waste and all the environmental impacts that go along with it. Thus, the circular economy is a major element in the business of recycling. These companies are encouraging recycling and making a profit while helping the world.

1. Rubicon Global

The goal of Nate Morris and Lane Moore’s startup is to increase recycling and save businesses money at the same time. Most companies spend billions of dollars getting their trash picked up and hauled to a landfill. This makes money for the trash haulers but can cost companies dearly. Morris and Moore turned this concept on its head in 2008 when they founded Rubicon Global, a platform where independent trash haulers offer bids for a company’s business. Rubicon’s vendors are equipped to handle all types of waste, including electronics, grease and oil, hazardous materials, and demolition waste. 

Another way Rubicon provides businesses with a cost-effective waste management strategy is by allowing the company to set their own trash pick-up schedule, rather than that of the provider. The Rubicon platform collects data on businesses to gives them a comprehensive view of their waste management, showing customers new opportunities to recycle or even remarket commodities that they’re currently sending to the landfill. Rubicon Global kept 40,000 tons of waste out of landfills in 2015, and that number is sure to grow due to the recent infusion of $30 million in financing.

2. Clear Intentions

Clear Intentions is a glass recycling startup based in Denver, Colorado. The company’s four-person team is made up of Brittany Evans, Todd Lehman, Damon Michaels, and Tiffany Keen, all of whom are under 30 years old. The millennials decided to tackle the issue of glass recycling in Colorado, which has one of the poorest rates for recycling glass in the US. Only 1 in 6 glass bottles in Denver is recycled yearly, and nearly 500 million glass bottles are sent to landfills annually statewide. 

Clear Intentions attributes this low recycle rate to the “single stream” nature of recycling in Colorado, where glass is sent off to the recycling bin along with paper, plastic, and cardboard. With this model, much of the glass is broken down into pieces that are too small to recycle and therefore end up in a landfill. Alternately, unbroken glass can be completely recycled into primary sources. To improve Colorado’s glass recycling rate, Clear Intentions is partnering with businesses all over the state to put recycling programs into place and make it easier for everyone to participate.

3. Green Toys

Green Toys is a company that recycles used milk jugs into a number of fun toys like kitchen sets, rocket ships, boats, trucks, planes, tool sets, and more. The company has recycled over 45 million milk jugs, all of which are composed of 100 percent post-consumer recycled HDPE plastic. 

The company occasionally uses other types of plastic, such as the kind that yogurt cups are made of, in the creation of their toys. The plastic is collected by a waste management service, then cleaned and shredded into flakes. The flakes are reprocessed and mixed with mineral-based, food-safe coloring. The finished products are even packaged in 100 percent recyclable cardboard and, when necessary, recycled water bottles.

4. Olleco

Olleco is a company that recycles something many of us might not think of as recyclable: cooking oil. Forty years ago, used cooking oil (UCO) was often recycled and used as animal feed. When regulations made this no longer a viable option for food providers, Olleco was born as a solution for to keep UCO out of drains and landfills. The company, previously known as Agri Energy, is a UK-based service that provides food service businesses with cooking oil and also collects their UCO and recycles it. The UCO is taken to one of the Olleco processing sites based in Southampton, Wales, and Liverpool. At these sites, the UCO is de-packed, heated, cleaned, and filtered. It then travels to the company’s biodiesel plant in Liverpool where it is transformed into fuel for cars and generators.

Remote work is not tracked by the Census Bureau or any other government agency, but Global Workforce Analytics estimates that half of the US workforce currently holds a position that would be compatible with telecommuting. Additionally, 20 to 25 percent of the workforce already telecommutes works at least some of the time.

The study also found that up to 90 percent of the workforce is interested in working remotely on a part-time basis. Many Fortune 1000 companies have seen the benefits of allowing their employees to do this, and more companies are expected to get on board in coming years.

A few travel-based remote work organizations are capitalizing on this technological trend and are looking to free employees from simply working from home by providing opportunities to go to work from practically anywhere in the world.

Remote Year

One of the first vacation and telework hybrid organizations to come onto the scene is the startup Remote Year. Comprised of groups of 75, Remote Year takes participants to various places around the world who spend a year working, traveling, and discovering international cities. Frequent travelers may be particularly drawn to what Remote Year offers, as participants move to a different city and country each month.

Remote Year provides participants with private rooms, transportation, and co-working spaces as well as access to networking. Remote Year participants have visited a multitude of cities all over the world, including Kuala Lumpur, London, Buenos Aries, Mexico City, and a host of other interesting and popular destinations.

Those who wish to participate in Remote Year are encouraged to apply early and indicate their preferred destinations, working hours, and times zones. Selected applicants will then be scheduled to meet with an interviewer in order to be matched with the best program available.

To participate in the program, Remote Year applicants are required to make a down payment of $5000 and pay an additional $2000 dollars per month for the first 11 months. These payments specifically cover workspaces, living arrangements, and travel. Although each program is predetermined, the small group size makes it easy to make tweaks between the various programs.

We Roam

We Roam is a working travel opportunity that takes groups of five to 200 remote workers to various destinations all over the globe. Much like Remote Year, We Roam allows professionals to stay in a new city each month while the We Roam staff take care of the various accommodations, workspaces, and travel arrangements included in the trips.

We Roam programs last either six or 12 months and have locations in Europe, South America, and Asia. Down payments start at $3000 for the six-month program and $5000 for the 12-month program, and each program has a fixed monthly cost of $2000.

According to the We Roam website, the selection process is exclusive and groups tend to be matched based on professional preferences as well as desired destinations. The goal of We Roam is to allow professionals to travel the world without bringing their careers to a halt, and the company works diligently to make the process as smooth as possible.

The company works closely with businesses in order to facilitate travel-work arrangements for employees and help business owners discover the multiple benefits of staying competitive in the labor market by offering remote work solutions to their employees. We Roam is currently accepting applications for trips beginning in January 2017.

Project Gateway

Project Gateway provides four weeks of working travel for entrepreneurs. The Project Gateway program includes access to social events and networking opportunities, and three daily meals are provided in addition to co-working spaces, laundry access, and even spa services.

Programs last for only one month and are limited to one location in Bali. The cost ranges from $2800 to $4350 per month, and this is based on whether your room has double occupancy or is a private room. The Project Gateway website goes into great detail about pricing and what each option includes.

Project Gateway has successfully held prior events in Bali and attributes its success to the fact that this is one of the best locations for independent entrepreneurs and business owners. This short program allows these entrepreneurs to immerse themselves in the culture and foster a sense of community.

Project Gateway’s network is increasing with each class that completes the program, and its alumni often meet independent of Project Gateway-sponsored events. This allows entrepreneurs to stay connected long after their remote work experience has come to an end.

Buildings have the potential to be incredibly damaging to the environment due to the large amount of energy they require for operation. To combat this, people around the world are working on a number of green building initiatives—projects that incorporate features that capitalize on natural resources, such as solar energy and rainwater, in order to reduce a building’s reliance on carbon and other fossil fuels.

Accreditations for Green Buildings

One of the most popular systems for verifying a green building is called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED. To qualify for LEED certification, building projects undergo assessments at all phases of development to earn points that land them in one of four categories: Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

Another popular verification system is the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, or BREEAM. Launched in 1990, there are now over half a million BREEAM-certified developments in 77 countries. BREEAM uses nine categories to judge a building and designate a rating of Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent, or Outstanding.

The following are three of the world’s most impressive green building projects:

1.     The Crystal, London, United Kingdom

Opened in 2012, the Crystal is an events venue, exhibition space, and office space for Siemens, a global engineering firm. The building welcomes over 10,000 visitors each year to its interactive exhibit on cities of the future and thousands more to events held in the space.

- Image courtesy Robert Pittman | Flickr

The Crystal has garnered praised far and wide as one of the world’s greenest buildings. Designed by the architects at WilsonEyre, this 100% electric building uses solar panels and a ground-source heat pump to generate all of its own power. The many windows of the building are triple-glazed, which means they allow in 70% of natural light to avoid the need for electric lighting in the daytime. However, the windows only allow in 30% of the solar energy to prevent the building from getting too warm.

The building’s roof collects rainwater, much of which is warmed in the underground heating system. All toilet water is provided by the building’s naturally occurring non-drinkable sources, and no fossil fuels are used on the building’s premises. The Crystal’s technology and infrastructure earned it two of the most impressive standards for green buildings: Outstanding accreditation from BREEAM and Platinum accreditation from LEED.

2. The Pixel Building, Melbourne, Australia

Australia’s greenest office building is a colorful structure called Pixel. The multicolored panels that cover the building are not only eye-catching, but they also serve an important purpose: regulating light. The panels allow in the maximum amount of sunlight and also provide controlled shade. All the panels are constructed of recycled materials.

The building itself is made of a type of concrete called Pixelcrete, which was especially designed to use half of the embodied concrete in a normal concrete mixture. There is an array of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on the roof that is angled towards the sun throughout the day. Pixel also has an irrigation system that collects rainwater for the greenery-covered roof and an on-site anaerobic digester to dispose of waste from bathrooms and kitchens. The building uses the resultant methane from this process to warm the hot water heaters on the roof.

The Pixel building has achieved the world’s highest LEED score and is on track to receive an Outstanding score from BREEAM. It has also received Greenstar Certification, a rating provided by the Green Building Council of Australia.

3. ACROS Fukuoka Prefectural International Hall, Fukuoka, Japan

The ACROS Hall in Fukuoka, Japan, is both a massive park and 1 million square feet of multipurpose space housing a symphony hall, a cultural center, and a conference hall, among other things. ACROS stands for Asian Crossroad Over the Sea. Before this building was erected, the plot of land on which it is built was the final undeveloped piece of land in central Fukuoka.

To preserve this special green space, architect Emilio Ambasz simply moved nearly 60,000 square feet of park on to the roof of the building in the shape of 15 terraces. The terraces stretch all the way to the top of the building, where they open into a belvedere with an expansive view of Fukuoka Bay.

There are a number of groups dedicated to environmentalism, tackling overlapping issues such as climate change and clean energy. Here are four of the world’s most influential environmental organizations:

1. 350.org

The group 350.org is dedicated to addressing the climate change that is affecting the planet’s future. The group started as a small group of university students in 2008. The students were joined by Bill McKibben, the author of one of the world’s first books on global warming.

That small movement has grown to reach 188 countries. Today, 350.org works on projects like shutting down India’s coal power plants and stopping the development of the Keystone XL pipeline in the United States. The group’s goal is to dismantle the fossil fuel industry using the grassroots power of individuals.

The source of the group’s name, 350, is very relevant to its mission. One of the world’s most respected climatologists, Dr. James Hansen, suggested that in order to maintain our lifestyle on earth, humanity needs to reduce carbon dioxide levels to a maximum of 350 parts-per-million (PPM). Before the industrial revolution of the 18th century, the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide levels were around 275 PPM. The current level is 400 PPM.

The organization plans to tackle this problem by insisting that companies leave fossil fuels in the ground, promoting sustainable energy solutions, and putting pressure on local and national governments to limit carbon emissions.

2. Friends of the Earth International

Born in 1971 as a combined effort of groups from France, Sweden, the US, and England, Friends of the Earth International has since grown into a powerful force of 75 member groups. Much like 350.org, Friends of the Earth International has a commitment to environmental justice, sustainability, and living in harmony with nature.

The group works in many areas of environmentalism, including climate change, energy reform, economic justice, forests, and biodiversity. It is also active in human rights as well as food sovereignty, which is people’s right to healthy food grown via environmentally-sound farming methods.

Recently, the Friends of the Earth Netherlands chapter achieved a victory. A court of appeals ruled that the group, partnered with four Nigerian farmers, will be permitted to sue Shell of the Netherlands for the oil spills it has caused in Nigeria. The oil spills polluted fish farms and fields and caused great economic suffering for the farmers.

This ruling is significant because it sets a precedent that worldwide victims of human rights and environmental abuses may find legal standing in the Dutch court system when a Dutch company is involved. This is just one example of the groundbreaking work Friends of the Earth groups are doing worldwide.

3. The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit organization that leads the fight to protect lands and water sources that are important to both people and the environment. Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy boast over a million members and is active in 69 countries.

Since 1951, it has protected thousands of miles of rivers and almost 120 million acres of land. The group also works to protect coral reefs and oceans, but land conservation is at the heart of The Nature Conservancy’s mission.

The importance of land is clear when one considers that humankind's global population is expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050. This will increase the demand for food, fiber, and energy, the production of which requires land. The land conservation efforts of The Nature Conservancy focus on partnering with indigenous people to encourage stewardship and influencing climate policies, among other things.

The water conservation efforts of The Nature Conservancy are built around the idea that current water solutions, like dams and reservoirs, are too expensive to be sustainable. The group advocates for more natural solutions, like protecting water at the source with water funds and careful water management to balance the competing needs of people, the environment, and agriculture.

4. Environmental Defense Fund

The Environmental Defense Fund was founded in the 1960s, during the birth of the environmental movement in the US. An issue of concern at the time was the widespread use of DDT, a pesticide that thinned eggshells, which threatened the survival of several bird species and eventually posed a danger to humans as well. A group of lawyers and scientists went to court to impose a ban on the substance and succeeded. In 1967, the group incorporated as the Environmental Defense Fund.

Since then, the group has reached a number of milestones for the environment, both large and small. In 2004, EDF partnered with FedEx to launch a fleet of hybrid trucks that reduced soot by 96 percent. In 2006, it helped formed the world’s largest marine reserve by protecting several of the Hawaiian Islands. The group also helped California enact the first carbon auction program in the US.  

EDF takes a multidisciplinary approach to environmentalism, covering climate, oceans, ecosystems, and health. The group maintains partnerships with numerous other organizations to avoid repeating work that has been handled by others.