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Dumpster dive: October 17, 2024


Image credit: Floating dumpster licensed under CC BY 4.0



  • I was prepared for Big Oil propaganda when I started watching "You're being lied to about ocean plastic," but instead I found the 18-minute video to be a credible, comprehensive explainer of the problems of plastic and packed with information: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is mostly made up of waste from the fishing industry, plastics are made from over 16,000 chemicals and 4,000 are known to be hazardous, color affects the rate at which plastic breaks down to create microplastics, and paint is estimated to be the greatest source of microplastics in the environment. It ended with a clear message: While the chemical and oil industries would have us believe that recycling alone will solve the plastic crisis, we absolutely need to reduce consumption. [Business Insider]


  • Recycled electronics are why researchers found alarming levels of banned toxic flame retardants in black plastic items, including children’s toys, takeout containers, kitchen utensils and grocery meat and produce trays. A child's beaded necklace had the highest level of contamination, and a sushi tray included a substance that the EPA fully banned in 2021. [EatingWell]


  • I've become a devoted follower of chef and James Beard Award-winning author Hank Shaw after a friend (hi Michael!) put him on my radar a few years ago, and I very much appreciated one of his recent articles, Cascading Kitchen Thrift. In it he describes how he optimizes ingredients to minimize food waste, or in his words, "have fun with scraps and wobbly bits." Check out his Hunter Angler Gardener Cook website for a vast collection of seasonally inspired recipes, too.


  • On the topic of kitchen thrift, here's how to turn spent coffee grounds into cold brew. [The Guardian]


  • I don't plan on digging up new stats about Halloween waste this year, but the holiday is as scary to me as it was last year when I wrote "Trick or trash: The frightful mess of Halloween." May your spooky season be sustainable.



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