WASTE WATCHERS BLOG

Small Business Saturday is an American shopping tradition held annually on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Get a head start on your holiday shopping by supporting your favorite small businesses on November 24th!

  Can you believe it’s almost Thanksgiving? We can’t! This year, among many things, has felt paradoxical—time flying one minute and standing still the next. But despite the unforeseen circumstances of 2020, a major theme that's been consistently present is the resilience among people and institutions in the face of challenges. One area where this resilience is apparent is in the support of small businesses. Whether a local restaurant, unique consignment shop, or small town bakery, there have been numerous examples of communities coming together to support the businesses they love most...even amidst a global pandemic. And, this makes sense when 99.9 percent of businesses in the U.S.— 30.7 million to be exact—fall into this category and contribute to keeping our economy healthy. However, as winter sets in across the country, and COVID-19 cases rise, it’s important to not lose sight of the momentum behind supporting small businesses before, through, and after the holidays, even if that support looks a little different this year. Moreover, it’s worth noting: some small business owners, while grateful for the influx of support, have also struggled to keep up with mountains of new orders or expanding their supply chain, especially if their products are handmade, require customization, or are created with specialty ingredients or parts.  That’s why, it’s important to support these business owners with patience and proactivity top of mind—Shopping earlier this year and giving small store owners the space, understanding, and time necessary to fill your order within the constraints of their business and resources.  This coming week marks the 10th annual Small Business Saturday, but is still happening to call attention to the importance of shopping at small businesses, which, no matter what year it is, happens to be the backbone of our local communities and national economy. So be sure to keep reading for why you should support small business, a few sustainability tips to keep in mind while shopping in-person or online, and a roundup of local businesses to support in key markets (plus, a map for how to #ShopSmall in your area).

Each year, November 15th is dedicated to recycling in America! We’ve provided all the information you need to know so you can get involved!

  Each year, November 15th is dedicated to recycling in America! The day was started by Keep America Beautiful (KAB) and many communities across the country host various events to promote, celebrate, and raise awareness about recycling before and after this special day. Below, we've provided all the information you need to know so you can get involved for America Recycles Day and apply these learnings well beyond a single event!

In the midst of a variety of news stories, it’s easy to have missed some of the smaller, more positive stories in the sustainability sector. Thankfully, this is where RoadRunner has you covered! In our latest blog post, we’re rounding up some of the latest sustainability news you should know and highlighting helpful takeaways from each article in hopes of inspiring your business to get involved as well!

Celebrate Sustainability Day (Week & Month) with us by reading our blog post to learn what sustainability is, why you should care, how to get involved, and what businesses and individuals alike can do to make a difference for themselves and the world.

In this blog post, we dive more into the increased plastic pollution problem as a result of the pandemic, additional areas of impact, and how humanity can recognize and take  necessary steps to alleviate the problem before it’s too late.

  If one thing has become certain since the inception of the novel coronavirus pandemic, it’s that so much of our future is unpredictable. However, after seven months of COVID-19 responses, mandated city lockdowns, and ongoing stay-at-home orders, experts have enough data to begin forecasting how the pandemic will impact the environment around us and the future of our planet. In the past few years, you may have heard the shocking prediction that there could be more plastic than fish (by weight) in the ocean by 2050. But now, as the COVID-19 pandemic generates what some have referred to as a “new” type of plastic pollution, environmentalists fear we will soon run the risk of having more masks than jellyfish in our oceans.

As a business owner or manager, you likely understand that acting on climate change is critical, but you may also not know where to start or worry that you do not have the time, resources, or influence to take action. To explain how, in this post we summarize Google’s initiative, how the company plans to act on climate change, and key takeaways businesses can use to better integrate climate-oriented action into their everyday practices. Continue reading for more information.

In this blog post, we’ll apply our “green” lens to the lessons we picked up on The Home Edit and provide some helpful organizational tips related to sustainable recycling and waste disposal for the office and other shared spaces. Learn how following these suggestions can result in increased recycling rates, more streamlined processes, and additional cost savings!

Did you know, recycling cardboard only takes 75% of the energy required to make new cardboard? Or that each ton of recycled paper can save 17 mature trees? In our blog post, we list 50 interesting recycling facts like these that will surprise you! Let us know which facts you find most surprising.

A recent study found that almost 70% of consumers under the age of 35 prefer brands based on ethical practices & transparency. Now that consumers are becoming more informed of the environmental impacts of their purchases, brands are beginning to understand their responsibility to take conscious steps towards improving the environment with their activities.

  With raging wildfires, a threatening hurricane season, and the ongoing issue of climate change, there has never been a better time than the present for companies to integrate sustainability into their business practices. And, don’t just take our word for it, mounting pressures from stakeholders, employees, and consumers alike have made it imperative for organizations to prioritize a sustainability strategy as part of its every day operations or risk getting left behind. In fact, almost half of shoppers in the United States say they’ll change their consumption habits to benefit the environment.