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Greenwashing Explained (and What You Can Do About It!)
You may have noticed that many consumer products have a little tree or recycling logo on the packaging. Do these symbols indicate that products are good for the environment? Are companies using these graphics or other âgreenâ jargon as a deceptive advertising tactic to draw customers to their products? Youâre wise to be skeptical â marketing a company or product to seem more environmentally friendly than it truly is has become a widespread practice. It even has its own name â greenwashing. Greenwashing can take many forms. In some cases, companies use misleading language or imagery to make products or services seem more environmentally friendly than they really are. Sometimes…
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Recycling: The Whys and the Hows
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that in 2017, 35.2% of waste generated was recovered through recycling. Within individual categories, paper and cardboard were recycled at about a rate of 66%, and yard waste/grass clippings were composted or recovered at a rate of 69%. Materials like plastic and glass came in at only 8% and 27%, respectively. Contrast these statistics with the estimated time it takes each of these materials to biodegrade: Glass takes a whopping 1 million years to decompose! Plastic can take upwards of 500 years to decompose, with some types taking less time. Cardboard can take as little as a few months to biodegrade if soaked, shredded,…
