Rome Was Not Recycled in a Day Keith and Mollie

It’s spring time at last! The time when we throw off the winter blahs, get outside, enjoy the birds singing and the flowers blooming, and start a compost bin! Okay, maybe composting isn’t on your spring wish list. Maybe you just can’t get into it because it’s too hard! If you listen regularly, though, you knowthatthis podcast is all about making recycling easier. Keith and Mollie are here to help. On this episode, they’re joined by Matt Nesbitt from Field Culture Compost, a community-sourced composting company. Listen to learn Matt and Mollie explain composting made easy. And if it’s still more than you can do, learn about the services that Matt’s company offers. You might even get inspired enough to get started on that spring cleaning that you’ve been putting off! And let us know your own composting tricks by leaving us a comment.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day once again. But as Cupid aims his arrow and we prepare to give flowers, chocolate, cards, and food to our Valentines, what about taking a minute to think about the environment? That’s exactly what Keith and Mollie are up to on this episode. Whether you’re still looking for the perfect gift idea for your Valentine, or you just want to love the earth a little more, this episode’s got something for you. Keep those candy wrappers out of the trash with a candy wrapper recycling box from our friends at Terracycle. And before you buy that candy, make sure it’s from a company that’s kind to the planet as well as to it’s workers like something from Equal Exchange, or buy locally here in Birmingham from Chocolata. And after you’ve bought or made a card, pay back that paper supply with garden seedlings from Heifer International. Got some more creative, earth-friendly ways to celebrate your Valentine? Post a comment below. The earth will thank you for your good choices, and your Valentine probably will, too!

Here at Rome Was Not Recycled in a Day, we know that sometimes living your life in a way that’s good to the environment can be a little overwhelming. Next time you get overwhelmed, though, stop and be thankful that you’re not in charge of sustainability for an organization of 70,000 people. That’s exactly what today’s episode is about. Keith and Mollie talk with Meredith Moore from the University of Illinois where she coordinates sustainability programs and helps to educate the students, faculty, and staff on how to take good care of our planet. Learn about some of what she does and how you can translate some of her programs to your own personal habits. And if you find yourself wanting more after listening to this interview like we did, make sure to check out the Illinois Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment web site for more amazing ideas. We hope you’re as inspired by Meredith’s work as we were. And after you listen, make sure to share your great ideas with us by leaving a comment below.

Today, Keith and Mollie talk turkey. They also dabble in sweet potatoes, dressing, vegetables, and even come back for pie. Yes, as we all get ready to pause and be thankful with a big meal, today’s episode is about pausing and thinking about all the garbage that’s generated in the process. But don’t panic! Before you cancel the whole meal, this episode is filled with the ingredients for ideas to make your Thanksgiving holiday one that the environment can be thankful for, too. If your groceries are packaged in #5 plastics, learn ways to recycle them with Community on the Rise or by taking your recycling to Target. And if you’re picking up a pre-cooked meal, learn about some of the options from The Fresh Market and Whole Foods that will fill your stomach with good food while not filling your garbage with single-use plastics. Also learn about the great commitment to environmental stewardship from Whole Foods. Try an idea or two, or come back for thirds. And after you listen, we’d love if you’d use the comments section to share your own environmentally friendly Thanksgiving ideas.

Join Keith and Mollie on today’s episode when they head back to school! No, they aren’t going to start a Ph.D. program in astrophysics. That’s next week. Today, they’re joined by returning guest George to talk about recycling at the middle school. It’s tough to be a middle schooler, and even tougher to be one who realizes that the way he treats the world now will impact the world he lives in when he’s an adult. Even if you aren’t a middle schooler, you might learn a few ideas from George today to live more environmentally friendly. And if you’re struggling with that, maybe follow Mollie’s lead and give a few gifts through Heifer International. And if you’ve got some great ideas of small things that you do to be more environmentally friendly, we want to hear about them. Please use the comment form below to let us know about them.

Do you have a mountain of dead batteries that you’ve been trying to get rid of? Or maybe you feel a twinge of guilt every time you throw a dead battery in the trash? If you struggle with the dead battery dilemma, this episode is for you. Today, Keith and Mollie dive into your pile of dead batteries. Okay, not literally. Join them to learn what the EPA has to say about disposing of dead batteries along with some other great ideas from our friends at Earth911 and Call2Recycle. Plus, learn about Mollies adventures with the battery recycling box from Terracycle and other ways to get rid of batteries with Batteries Plus. Finally, learn about KW Plastics, a business that’s making use of old car batteries. And, spoiler alert: it’s not easy to get rid of dead batteries, so learn some of Keith and Mollie’s ideas for reducing battery use. As always, we’d love to hear your ideas, too. Just swing by our contact form to let us know how you’re solving your own battery dilemma.