Rome Was Not Recycled in a Day

Glass is a pain! No, really! We’ve talked about that before here in Rome. On this episode, Keith and Mollie talk to someone who has decided to do something about it. Moriah Fordham is the owner of Phoenix Glass Recycling, bringing glass recycling to Huntsville, AL and the surrounding county. Even if you don’t live in Huntsville — not everyone can be a rocket scientist — you can learn a lot by listening to the interview with Moriah. She’s an entrepreneur who cares about the environment and wants to fill a much needed spot in the recycling world. Her company is a member of 1% for the Planet, the Glass Recycling Coalition, and the Alabama Recycling Coalition. But Moriah has a lot more to share than just a business with memberships. She’s got great ideas for keeping glass out of the landfill, whether you have a glass recycling program in your neighborhood or not. And if you’re still looking for more, learn about what really happens to recycled glass and what recycled glass can be turned into after it leaves the bin. Oh, and check out the new bigger glass crusher that Phoenix Glass Recycling has ordered. We’re pretty sure Mollie’s hoping Santa brings her one of these, too. And if you have glass recycling or reusing ideas of your own, make sure to add a comment below. This episode might not make glass recycling crystal clear, but we sure hope it at least manages to break the glass!

You’ve heard of recycling, and you’ve possibly even heard about upcycling, but have you tried funcycling? On this episode, Keith and Mollie dive into how to make recycling more fun! Yes, it’s really true. You actually can take good care of the environment and have fun at the same time. To help figure this out, return guest, funny man, and birthday boy Ben joins this episode with his own jokes, ideas, and, well… you’ll just have to listen to find out. And after you take in these ideas as a starting point, why not share a few of your own? Let us know how you make the task of recycling more fun by leaving a comment! Or at the least save us with some better jokes!

The times they are a chingin’! Okay, that might be a bit dramatic, but Keith and Mollie are certainly all worked up on this episode. The city of Homewood, AL that we call home here at Rome Was Not Recycled in a Day is making some big changes to our curbside recycling program. City council person Jennifer Andress joined us for an episode in late 2021 to say that these changes were in the works. Even if you don’t live in Homewood, your curbside program might also be moving to a “mixed stream” program with a single bin for garbage and recycling. Give this episode a listen to learn about the changes coming, understand what RePower South is doing with our garbage and recycling, and help us ponder some of the many questions we have about this new system. We’re even wondering if The Gasp Group can help address some of our concerns about the idea of garbage being burned for energy. Perhaps most importantly, get some ideas how we can work with this new system without throwing some of our good recycling practices in the garbage! And if you have ideas of your own or can answer any of our questions, please comment below or hop over to our contact form. We’ll all figure this out together!

It’s summer vacation season! As you’ve hit the pump before hitting the road this year, your wallet has probably felt the pain. Gas prices may not be at an all-time high, but they ain’t what they used to be. Keith and Mollie have noticed that electric and plugin hybrid vehicles have become quite the thing these days! On this episode, they’re joined by an engineer from an electric utility company, John Murray, to explore the question: is it time to get one? Do they really make it worth it? What are the hidden costs, both to the owner and to the environment? And should we all rush out and buy one today? Before you plug in, tune in and hear the facts. And after you listen, we’d love to hear your own thoughts on these new kinds of cars that might save you a little at the pump… but might not be right for everyone yet.

It’s spring time at last! The time when we throw off the winter blahs, get outside, enjoy the birds singing and the flowers blooming, and start a compost bin! Okay, maybe composting isn’t on your spring wish list. Maybe you just can’t get into it because it’s too hard! If you listen regularly, though, you knowthatthis podcast is all about making recycling easier. Keith and Mollie are here to help. On this episode, they’re joined by Matt Nesbitt from Field Culture Compost, a community-sourced composting company. Listen to learn Matt and Mollie explain composting made easy. And if it’s still more than you can do, learn about the services that Matt’s company offers. You might even get inspired enough to get started on that spring cleaning that you’ve been putting off! And let us know your own composting tricks by leaving us a comment.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day once again. But as Cupid aims his arrow and we prepare to give flowers, chocolate, cards, and food to our Valentines, what about taking a minute to think about the environment? That’s exactly what Keith and Mollie are up to on this episode. Whether you’re still looking for the perfect gift idea for your Valentine, or you just want to love the earth a little more, this episode’s got something for you. Keep those candy wrappers out of the trash with a candy wrapper recycling box from our friends at Terracycle. And before you buy that candy, make sure it’s from a company that’s kind to the planet as well as to it’s workers like something from Equal Exchange, or buy locally here in Birmingham from Chocolata. And after you’ve bought or made a card, pay back that paper supply with garden seedlings from Heifer International. Got some more creative, earth-friendly ways to celebrate your Valentine? Post a comment below. The earth will thank you for your good choices, and your Valentine probably will, too!

Here at Rome Was Not Recycled in a Day, we know that sometimes living your life in a way that’s good to the environment can be a little overwhelming. Next time you get overwhelmed, though, stop and be thankful that you’re not in charge of sustainability for an organization of 70,000 people. That’s exactly what today’s episode is about. Keith and Mollie talk with Meredith Moore from the University of Illinois where she coordinates sustainability programs and helps to educate the students, faculty, and staff on how to take good care of our planet. Learn about some of what she does and how you can translate some of her programs to your own personal habits. And if you find yourself wanting more after listening to this interview like we did, make sure to check out the Illinois Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment web site for more amazing ideas. We hope you’re as inspired by Meredith’s work as we were. And after you listen, make sure to share your great ideas with us by leaving a comment below.

Today, Keith and Mollie talk turkey. They also dabble in sweet potatoes, dressing, vegetables, and even come back for pie. Yes, as we all get ready to pause and be thankful with a big meal, today’s episode is about pausing and thinking about all the garbage that’s generated in the process. But don’t panic! Before you cancel the whole meal, this episode is filled with the ingredients for ideas to make your Thanksgiving holiday one that the environment can be thankful for, too. If your groceries are packaged in #5 plastics, learn ways to recycle them with Community on the Rise or by taking your recycling to Target. And if you’re picking up a pre-cooked meal, learn about some of the options from The Fresh Market and Whole Foods that will fill your stomach with good food while not filling your garbage with single-use plastics. Also learn about the great commitment to environmental stewardship from Whole Foods. Try an idea or two, or come back for thirds. And after you listen, we’d love if you’d use the comments section to share your own environmentally friendly Thanksgiving ideas.

Join Keith and Mollie on today’s episode when they head back to school! No, they aren’t going to start a Ph.D. program in astrophysics. That’s next week. Today, they’re joined by returning guest George to talk about recycling at the middle school. It’s tough to be a middle schooler, and even tougher to be one who realizes that the way he treats the world now will impact the world he lives in when he’s an adult. Even if you aren’t a middle schooler, you might learn a few ideas from George today to live more environmentally friendly. And if you’re struggling with that, maybe follow Mollie’s lead and give a few gifts through Heifer International. And if you’ve got some great ideas of small things that you do to be more environmentally friendly, we want to hear about them. Please use the comment form below to let us know about them.

Do you have a mountain of dead batteries that you’ve been trying to get rid of? Or maybe you feel a twinge of guilt every time you throw a dead battery in the trash? If you struggle with the dead battery dilemma, this episode is for you. Today, Keith and Mollie dive into your pile of dead batteries. Okay, not literally. Join them to learn what the EPA has to say about disposing of dead batteries along with some other great ideas from our friends at Earth911 and Call2Recycle. Plus, learn about Mollies adventures with the battery recycling box from Terracycle and other ways to get rid of batteries with Batteries Plus. Finally, learn about KW Plastics, a business that’s making use of old car batteries. And, spoiler alert: it’s not easy to get rid of dead batteries, so learn some of Keith and Mollie’s ideas for reducing battery use. As always, we’d love to hear your ideas, too. Just swing by our contact form to let us know how you’re solving your own battery dilemma.