A big part of charting our family’s progress is keeping track of the “since we’ve used” items (3 years since we’ve used paper napkins, 2.5 years since we’ve used plastic bags, 2 years since we’ve used bottled water, etc). There seem to be many things that end of up in the landfill after once use, [...]

Really? The other day I posted on the Green Charleston Twitter feed one of my favorite concepts: that when you throw something away, there really is no “away.” This person didn’t get the memo. Paint cans, old rugs, a box of food – this stuff does not belong here. We need to encourage others to [...]

Even though we haven’t used a ton of our black gold bounty, we continue to add more and more organic waste to the family compost pile. We’ve been at it for many moons now, and it’s so much a part of our routine that I can’t imagine throwing our excess food into the garbage. One [...]

It’s that magical time of year again when 3,800 pages worth of unneeded phone books arrive, uninvited, on my front porch. Out with the old, in with the new…but with a twist: The old phone books are 100% recyclable.  You can just throw them right into your blue curbside bins, and Charleston County Recycling will [...]

Recycling only takes a little knowledge, a little time, and a little motivation. If you see a neighbor throwing away materials that can be recycled, don’t be afraid to help them out. They may be missing the recyclable materials list, confused about their recycling pickup day, or unaware how important this basic civic activity really [...]

Recycling Fail takes a look at ways people botch this basic green action. It’s funny…’cause it’s true. Here’s a shot where it looks like someone had some semi-useful items (wood scraps and a used window?), so they left them for “someone else to pick-up.” I bet they got their wish. I like how the glass [...]

Many years ago, while changing my niece’s diaper, my dad asked which type of diaper I would choose for my own children one day. As I gagged and flinched and gagged some more while wiping her bottom, I was convinced I would be doomed to filling landfills for centuries with my children’s diapers. And yet, [...]

I like to keep things positive around here, but sometimes it helps to point out mistakes rather than successes – we learn from our mistakes too, right? One of our first columns was Weekly Trashed, which was a photographic look at poor trash disposal activity. On a recent trip to a Mount Pleasant recycling drop [...]

Check out this inspiring video featuring Chris Fisher of Fisher Recycling. He is a great example of someone turning their love for sustainable living into a thriving business that is helping us all.

I’ve been getting conflicting emails and information about Waste Industries accepting plastics #1 though #7 for recycling in the Summerville area. Being able to recycle plastics #3, 4, 5, and 6 is the Holy Grail of reclamation, and would be HUGE for our area. Plastic #7 cannot be recycled anywhere, which makes me question the [...]

This post originally ran last holiday season, but I think it’s an important reminder to everyone… Driving all around town shopping for holiday gifts is a resource hog – too much time, too much gas, too much hassle. That’s why I’ve turned to Amazon.com year after year to help reduce my trips into the seasonal [...]

Foam packing peanuts have protected our shipped items since the seventies, but scientists are only now realizing their impact on the environment. That’s because these protectors of all things fragile are often made from polystyrene (plastic #6), a resin that does not biodegrade, is resistant to photolysis, and has become a chief component in the [...]

*** EDIT: Down to Earth has closed *** Most artificial Christmas trees are full of bad things like PVC, so getting a real tree might be the greener option. But if you want to take it up a notch this year, Down to Earth is offering a Living Christmas Tree Program that will let your [...]

For the past five years, Mount Pleasant has opened their maintenance facility to residents for used motor oil and oyster shell recycling. I know a lot of DIY oil changers, and there’s an oyster roast around every corner, so it’s nice to know there is a recycling option for both activities. The site is located [...]

This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Charleston County Recycling will host an electronic recycling day at the Citadel Mall. Disposing of eWaste is an ever growing problem, and this is a great opportunity to act responsibly. They will accept almost anything: TVs, computers, camcorders, clocks, radios, microwaves, telephones…if it’s got a plug, bring [...]

If you’re already composting, then you know this is the most bountiful time of year for your pile – the greens and browns are everywhere, especially if you carved pumpkins. If you don’t have a compost pile, then think about starting one – this is the best time! Composting is all about managing the balance [...]

The College of Charleston is a not only a huge asset to the city, but a big influence on local trends and culture. That’s why I’m excited to see this video roundup of steps they’ve taken to provide a more sustainable dining experience to students. They eliminated trays that needed washing, switched to biodegradable food [...]

While we’re trying to use fewer nasty chemicals around the house, we still end up with leftover paint, gas, cleaners, antifreeze, and other sludge that needs to be disposed of properly…which can sometimes be challenging. 92% of all poison exposure cases occur in our homes, 87% of which are accidental (makes you wonder about that [...]

Yes, pop the organic champagne and fire up the fair trade jug band — the compost pile we began last fall is fruitful — literally. Our table scraps haven’t gone to Bee’s Ferry for months now, and instead their worm-riddled nutrient-rich remains are ready to be mixed back into our gardens and flowerbeds. I’ve known [...]

I just got word via my favorite local news site, The Digitel, that Charleston County Recycling now has the ability to collect and recycle compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). This is great news, as you probably know that CFLs are full of nasty stuff like mercury. Also, since a lot of Charleston’s trash is incinerated [...]