On December 5, 2019, the ASU Center for Biodiversity Outcomes hosted Lucas Mariacher, the Zero Waste coordinator in the City of Phoenix.
Zero waste is an educational outreach program aiming to achieve zero waste by 2050. To achieve this goal, Mariacher discussed the common misconceptions about recycling and how to recycle properly.
“Arizona landfills produce 47 million cubic feet [of waste] per day, with landfills being the third largest producer of methane in the United States,” Mariacher explained.
To alleviate the effects of waste, Mariacher shared a few tips anyone can easily implement to maximize our recycling efforts:
When recycling plastic bottles, keep the caps on
Always make sure the peanut butter container is cleaned before recycling
Electronics, car parts, motors, oil and batteries are not recyclable
Do not bag your recyclables
Pizza boxes with oil cannot be recycled, but consider recycling the oil-free tops of pizza boxes
Styrofoam is not recyclable
Do not crush your soda cans
Tops on glass jars need to come off
Do not recycle soft plastics, but return plastic bags to your local grocery store or retail store
Break down your boxes before recycling
If you wish to decrease the amount of waste you produce, consider the following: (1) use reusable bottles, bags, paper towels, napkins and containers; (2) take advantage of Arizona State University’s Blue Bag program to increase sustainable waste options; (3) get involved in community events and inform residents about the Zero Waste goal.
For more information about the City of Phoenix’s recycling programs, click here.