NERC Blog

Guest author, Chaz Miller, presents a broader look at recycling in general and how to make sense of current turmoil in the market.

The solution to one of the most fundamental and urgent problems currently facing our planet is right on our doorstep…Recycling. The message of Global Recycling Day: if we want to retain the earth’s natural resources and ensure the future of our planet…the time for change is now.

In his keynote address at NERC's Fall 2017 Conference, David Levine of the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) calls for collaboration between businesses and policymakers to help bring about a sustainable economy.

By recognizing and assisting sustainable businesses that operate as environmental stewards, the Vermont Green Business Program (VT GBP) is as important today as it was when it was launched 17 years ago. With the recent addition of Champlain Valley Apiaries, a manufacturer of honey products in Middlebury, and the Northeast Recycling Council, a Brattleboro-based non-profit organization working on sustainable materials management, the Program includes more than 230 businesses.  Member businesses are diverse in size and operations and include hotels, restaurants, marinas, grocers, golf courses, and others. 

“The VT GBP helps businesses to keep the triple bottom line framework of people, profits, and the planet relevant,” says Ed Antczak, Program Manager of the Vermont Environmental Assistance Office.

The recently completed annual survey confirms that VT GBP members minimize their environmental footprints through energy efficiency and water conservation measures. Members have upgraded to Energy Star appliances and energy efficient boilers, heat pumps, programmable thermostats, and light-emitting…

Incorporating the three R's--reduce, reuse and recycle--into holiday gift-giving can enhance the experience for gift giver and recipient alike.

Spreading the joy of prepping and cooking with leftovers!

An experience is a fun and memorable gift, and can be anything from taking a bird identification class to attending a comedy show with friends. Research shows that experiences are special because they can be unique, the associated anticipation increases enjoyment, they provide long-lasting memories, they are fleeting so we value them more, and their value increases with time.

Plastics are ubiquitous; this fact cannot be denied. Many plastics are needed to support our happy modern day lifestyles. But where do we draw the line on our ever-growing production of plastics; and even more importantly, the ever-increasing environmental impacts of plastic materials?

The approaching holiday season is a good time to think about ways to reduce waste and promote wasted food reduction to stakeholders in our communities. NERC’s new Food Recovery Hierarchy Compendium--Programs and Strategies contains many examples of municipal, regional, state, university, and nonprofit organizations promoting waste food reduction.

Two exhibits at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) bring together the ideas of repurposing and the changing landscape of our consumer culture, production, and transportation into an increasingly digital world of the internet, automation, and 3D printers.