There is so much wasted food in this world with some experts saying it's upwards of 40%! For better or worse, California is relying heavily on underfunded non-profits such as food banks, churches and women's shelters to bear the burden of its aggressive food recovery goals.  Who are they Food recovery organizations are a key […] The post Food Recovery Organizations appeared first on Zero Waste Guy ..read more

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I am tired of seeing people complain online about the problems they see in the world without doing anything about it. Calling my representatives feels like a waste of time, and writing emails feels ineffective. I learned recently that representatives are required to log ever contact from their constituent, and that there is a hierarchy. Letter writing hierarchy As you might have guessed, the more difficult and/or time-consuming the form of contact, the more value it holds. Hand-written letter – most valuable Typed letter Phone call Email – least valuable Complaining on social media ..read more

Flashback: Christmas 2001 I will never forget Christmas of my senior year of high school. It was December 2001. For the younger people reading this, it was a time before technology had overtaken our every day lives. My parents thought they would surprise me with what I m sure they thought would be the best gift ever: a cell phone. I hated it. Worst. Gift. Ever. Up until that point I had functioned just fine without a mobile phone, GPS laptop computer (what was a laptop anyway?) or any other form of what I interpreted as Big Brother. Why on earth would I want a cell phone? My girlfriend at the ..read more

Everything you need to know about how to setup and properly size (aka “right sizing”) your waste hauling service Overview Waste haulers are the trucking companies that collect your waste (refuse, rubbish, discards or trash, among other names) and haul it to a landfill. Well, in reality, they will transport it to wherever you tell them to. If you subscribe to recycling service, they will most likely transport your materials to a Materials Recovery Facility, where these resources are recovered, baled and sold on the commodities market. If you subscribe to organics recycling service, the ty ..read more

I hiked Mauna Loa, the World’s largest (and currently active) volcano. It was a unique and challenging experience in a lot of ways. Trip Prep I landed in Kona on a Friday night and planned on doing the hike the next morning. I had made some homemade Gatorade-style “gu” the night before, which I brought with me on the plane. I wasn’t checking a bag, which meant I needed to stock up on food when I landed. Safeway was the most convenient option, where I purchased several bulk snacks and two liters of water. Yes, I bought bottled some bottled water… I have a 2-liter camel back, but don ..read more

We are the Future: Changes to Live Sustainably  I was invited to speak at an event hosted by the Israeli American Council. It was on a Thursday night in Santa Monica, and I can honestly say that my first instinct was to say no. I am loath to travel to the west side any day, let alone on the evening of a normal workday! Jonathan Levy speaks at an event hosted by the Israeli American Council.The IAC works to foster a sense of community between Israeli-Americans and Jewish-Americans. Israel is a tech-forward country that has always out of necessity had to use their natural resources sustai ..read more

I recently toured a materials recovery facility in South Los Angeles that processes residual materials from materials recovery facilities. Now, before I get too far into the weeds, I should explain what a materials recovery facility is. Bales of materials waiting to be sorted Many of us who live in single-family homes, and increasingly those like me who live in multi-family dwellings, are accustomed to having a bin for solid waste, recycling and yard waste. Once materials placed in the recycle bin are collected, they are typically brought to a materials recovery facility for processing ..read more

The ability to repair our consumer goods, especially electronics, should not be a luxury, it should be a right. Eighteen years owning a cell phone Cell phones have come a long way since the early days. I remember my very first cell phone. It was a Nokia brick phone that was given to me by my parents for Christmas my senior year of high school. It had a standard T9 keyboard, made phone calls, and had the game Snake on it. I don’t remember having charge anxiety–you know, the fear of running out of juice–because it didn’t have much functionality, which allowed for a long battery life. I w ..read more