Paper-based before plastic

Paperboard is generally preferred over plastic because it can be recycled or composted. It’s even better if the paper-based packaging is made from recycled and/or FSC-certified paper. In the US, paper and paperboard are recycled the most, at around 75%, while plastics are recycled the least at under 15%. Most cities offer the option to recycle paperboard, which decreases the need for virgin material, but even if you can’t access somewhere to recycle it, paperboard will biodegrade in the compost.

Make a list and stick to it

Around 20% of the food we buy never gets eaten. Meal planning can help make sure you aren’t buying extra food that will go bad before you have time to eat it. Making a list is not only applicable to the grocery store, but can also be applied when visiting any other store as well. Thinking about and rationalizing your planned purchases before you go to the store can help you avoid buying unnecessary items, which take energy, water, and other resources to produce.

Dispatch Goods

Sustainability delivered.

Litterati (free app)

Litterati is a free app to join the community to identify, map, and collect the world's litter. Your input will be used to work with companies and organizations to find more sustainable solutions.

Ignore the urge for the newest gadget

Doesn’t it feel like there are better cell phones, tablets, TVs, and computers coming out every few months? We are upgrading our current devices faster than ever, using raw material such as tin, cobalt, lithium, gold, silver, and copper and creating a lot of electronic waste or e-waste. Overall, the less frequently we replace our gadgets, the less strain we put on natural resources used to make them, and the less e-waste we create.

Receipts in the right spot

If you don’t need a receipt or can have one emailed to you, it’s a small way to reduce paper that can add up. If you do get a receipt, the kind that looks like actual paper is recyclable or compostable, but if a receipt is shiny, that means it has a chemical coating. Shiny receipts are not recyclable and have to go in the trash bin.

ClimateView

ClimateView is a software tool for climate professionals in cities to plan towards net-zero CO2. It enables cities to collaborate and to benchmark best practice globally.

Reformation, Sustainable Women's Clothing & Accessories

This Los Angeles clothing company takes transparency seriously. Outside of sourcing their materials sustainably, Reformation tracks the environmental cost of each piece of clothing and displays it on their website. Just like checking your tag to find out the wash instructions, you can go online to see how much CO2, water, and waste was saved during the production of every article of clothing they sell. They also boast having electric car chargers in their parking lot and offering their employees public transit passes! Reformation has a social conscience, as well. They produce 99% of their good within the U.S., offer employees free English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, and provide free services for workers seeking full U.S. citizenship.

How to Reduce Packaging Waste in Amazon Orders

Pela, 100% compostable phone cases

Join the global movement saying no to wasteful plastic phone cases.