Taking Single-Use Off the Menu — Zero Waste Marin Dishes (Re)Useful Tips

These days, a lot of stuff is designed to be used once and then thrown “away.” It seems convenient, but there are costs. 

When you throw “away” items, they wind up in landfills, where they’ll take up space for centuries without breaking down. Even recyclable goods require a lot of resources to be transformed. The good news is there are useful, reusable solutions that often look and feel better and healthier than single-use plastic alternatives

Zero Waste Marin, a partnership of Marin cities within the county, is working to reduce the amount of waste generated by Marin residents and businesses. That includes a recent effort to encourage residents to consider alternatives to single-use items.

zero waste marin
Zero Waste Marin’s #reuseful images promote great alternatives to single-use stuff.

You may have seen #reuseful images, promoting alternatives to single-use items (like plastic wrap, cutlery and water bottles), online or in your favorite Marin publications. A 30-second video highlights how choosing reusables is a healthy habit with a positive, long-term impact. 

ZWM’s mission is not only to encourage good recycling and waste practices but also to reduce waste altogether by helping people use less stuff. Zero Waste Marin’s website has plenty of resources to help you redistribute unwanted items in a safe and productive way, by donating, sharing and recycling. Businesses can find information on legal requirements as well as resources for compliance. 

Children can join in, too! With aid from Dave the Recycling Fairy, ZWM has produced two fun videos to help children understand what happens to stuff when it is thrown “away.” Watch the videos “Recycling is a Trip” and “Zero Waste Starts at Home” here

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Dave the Recycling Fairy teaches about recycling and going zero waste in a new video.

ZWM Senior Planner Casey Poldino is excited to see the videos roll out. 

“It was great to partner with Marin Sanitary Service to give real, county-specific examples of recycling in a fun and upbeat way,” she said. “People of all ages will learn cool facts about what happens to their recycling and how to adopt good zero-waste habits.” 

Visit Zero Waste Marin’s website to learn more.


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