Page 52 - Green Builder May-June 2017 Issue

Packaging and Leftovers

Cardboard packaging and plastics are crowding kitchen spaces,

and food waste is not far behind.

UE TO INCREASING USE OF ONLINE VENDORS, the
volume of recyclable materials landing at homes keeps Amazon Prime Members
growing. Add to this a high volume of food waste, and
you understand
why clients are
clamoring for re-
D cycling stations
and composters. MILLIONS
Also, food waste in the U.S. SOURCE: News Announcements, Piper Jaffray, Morningstar,
sometimes makes up 40 per-
cent of the waste stream. The
fast-rising cost of city trash RBC, BI Intelligence Estimates
bags (right) makes curbside
composting much more economically compelling. Future kitchens
will need large, odor-trapping and flexible storage areas for both Too much, too fast? Amazon’s meteoric success has led to
solid materials and food waste. meteoric levels of packaging waste.

Out of Sight and Mind Public pressure. One factor pushing consumers toward
greater recycling and composting is the sudden and
New recycling centers (top) and curbside food composting are rapid increase in the costs of mixed waste disposal.
two obvious offshoots of packaging and greater awareness of food waste. Cities can and have dramatically increased the cost of
disposal bags, forcing consumers to take recycling and
The nearest photo shows Garbage to Gardens, in Portland, Maine. composting options more seriously.

50 GREEN BUILDER May/June 2017 www.greenbuildermedia.com

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