Why we do it  There are many phenomena that explain some of our motivations in choosing to recycle, the simplest being the rewards we get from it. Some places, especially Germany and Norway, find recycling program success by offering a refund when you deposit recyclable items. The immediate gratification of the reward conditions our […]

  The negative impacts, or “externalities,” of pollution affect businesses and individuals alike. They both share the responsibility of sustainability, but regulating businesses’ accountability can be difficult. The role of the government is to balance social and environmental well-being while not stifling economic growth to achieve a socially optimal outcome. There are many different approaches […]

  Consumers are “greenwashed” out while simultaneously growing increasingly concerned about the environment, according to Euromonitor’s 2024 global trend report. Greenwashing is the process of giving a misleading impression about a company’s environmental responsibility. Consumers are individually making efforts to reduce their food waste and plastic use and recycle more, but they’re discouraged by seeing […]

  The rise in popularity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has generated significant buzz around the impacts on the job market, privacy, innovation, education, and more recently, the environment. Businesses, innovators, and the federal government have been optimistic about and quick to integrate AI, but the general American public is more hesitant. Locally, Wisconsinites have expressed […]

What is It? Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology, and Research recently announced a partnership with technology company Security Matters to create the first National Plastics Passport. This passport would address the biggest flaws of the recycling industry at the roots instead of working around them. Fundamentally, the recycling system has always been flawed. It is […]

  In April 2025, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Chobani after an independent research organization found phthalates in certain yogurt products in December 2024. The containers advertised “only natural ingredients,” which the lawsuit claimed mislead customers, as it contradicted the results of independent testing. The testing found traces of four different phthalates, which the […]

  “Pre-Recycling”  Many historians argue that in the 1800s, we were actually better at recycling than we are today. In the 19th century, long before “official” recycling programs, people reused and repurposed almost all their materials out of economic necessity. Prior to the industrial revolution later in the century, most of one’s goods were locally […]

  Why Should YOU Care?  Up to 25% of what we place into recycling bins doesn’t belong there. When we recycle improperly, recycling plants may send entire loads to the landfill, driving up costs and energy use, and damaging materials that could be recycled. So, more paper, plastics, and other materials must be made, and […]

  Terminology and Background  Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is one of the most commonly used plastics globally with appications in textiles, packaging, and engineering resins. Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET) is plastic made from entirely recycled plastic scrap with a lower environmental impact because the production process uses less energy and resources. Resin (PET or rPET) is […]

  Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) content refers to materials from several types of waste like aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and plastic packaging that are recovered after consumer use from waste channels. Five States currently have PCR content legislation with the intention of reducing waste, aiding local recycling efforts, and holding producers accountable for what happens to […]

  Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach that tasks producers with more responsibility for end-of-life management of their products, particularly paper and packaging. The intent of this approach, and the laws that stem from it, is to reduce waste by encouraging recycling and reuse of discarded materials, decrease public spending on waste management, […]