easy, green choices

your recycling choices matter, where you bank matters, and, of course, you matter

Author

Outside Calling Newsletter
October 01, 2024

"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir
today’s tip

a simple recycling guide

Another situation on some random gas station. This time the security wasn’t bothered by someone photographing the place ;)
Have you ever stood between a trash bin and a recycling bin, not sure which to use while fearing public shame for making the wrong choice? Same.
Let’s take a look at some common items to see if they can be recycled:

  • 🍕 Pizza boxes: Yes! But remove any food scraps and flatten them before recycling.

  • 📫️ Mail: Yes! Even the ones with the plastic windows on them.

  •  🎁 Gift Wrap: Probably not! Paper gift wrap often is not recyclable when it has a shiny or laminated coating. A better alternative would be to reuse gift bags, boxes, and tissue paper.

  • 🍴 Plastic utensils: No!

  • 🥡 Paper and cardboard takeout containers: It depends on how much food is left on them. Try rinsing or scraping the residue off to clean it. “Spatula-clean” is clean enough to recycle! Otherwise, containers contaminated with food cannot be recycled.

  • 🥪 Any Food: No! Instead, composting is an environmentally-friendly method of food waste disposal. 

  • 👩‍🍳 Aluminum foil: Yes! Just make sure to remove any food residue before recycling. 

Check with your local recycling program to find out what items they accept.

View more at the EPA Recycling Guide

spotlight topic

your banking choices matter

A person holding credit cards against a white background wall.
When you deposit money in a bank, it doesn’t just stay there. Banks use your deposits to fund various activities, from energy projects to home loans. This means each dollar you deposit carries a carbon footprint, which can differ by as much as 80%, depending on your choice of bank.
So what's the right choice? Here are five great options:

  1. Amalgamated Bank

  2. Atmos Financial

  3. Clean Energy Credit Union

  4. greenpenny

  5. Capital One

Least ethical banks using your money for fossil fuel financing:

  1. Chase

  2. Citi

  3. Wells Fargo

  4. Bank of America

Calculate your impact using the TopoFinance Calculator.

a few words

take time for you

Beautiful Golden Fall Forest In Autumn
Take 30 minutes and go for a walk. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be outside. Don’t think too hard about the location. Just walking out your front door and explore a neighboring street you’ve never walked down before will do!
Your task?

Capture the moment! Take photos of three interesting things you notice on your walk. Repeat all week.