Tag Archives: compost

Compost those pumpkins

Posted on November 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

News you can use. The day after Halloween, the city of Houston will roll out its annual effort to keep pumpkins out of landfills where they would contribute to the production of harmful greenhouse gases. The city’s Solid Waste Management … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Compost those pumpkins

Don’t trash your pumpkins

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Here are some better ideas. Looking for a new home for your pumpkin now that Halloween is over? Well, Houston might have the solution. The city is collecting pumpkins — carved, guts or otherwise — now through next Wednesday as … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Don’t trash your pumpkins

Get ready to compost

Posted on November 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I hope this expands in the near future. The city launched a composting pilot program Wednesday, opening three sites where residents can drop off compost-friendly waste that otherwise would wind up in a landfill. The hope is the program will … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Christmas tree recycling 2019

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

For your last act of Christmas 2019, here’s how to dispose of your tree. Twenty-five recycling centers in the Houston area will take your Christmas trees. All city recycling facilities will take trees through Jan. 25. All you have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Landfilling

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Really interesting story about a place most of us would not think to visit. The open face of the Atascocita landfill in Humble slopes downward, where trucks unload the cast-off scraps of daily life. Bulldozers spread the debris to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Landfilling

It’s hard out here on a recycler, part 3

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

A story in the WaPo about the ongoing struggles of the recycling business. Once a profitable business for cities and private employers alike, recycling in recent years has become a money-sucking enterprise. The District, Baltimore and many counties in between … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s hard out here on a recycler, part 3

Recycling cartons

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

More curbside recycling options. Houstonians accustomed to throwing out glossy cardboard cartons of milk, juice, soup and others foods and beverages now can send them to the curb in a green container for recycling. The Carton Council, a consortium of … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Recycling cartons

Collecting compost from restaurants

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The city of Austin takes another step on its path towards zero waste. Austin restaurants and other food businesses will have to compost food scraps starting in 2016, under new rules the City Council OK’d Thursday. Food service businesses — … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Collecting compost from restaurants

City response on “One Bin For All”

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, I asked several environmental groups for feedback on the city’s One Bin For All proposal. I said I would follow up on that with the city. I have their response here, but before I get to it I … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What other environmental groups think about “One Bin For All”

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, last week the city announced that it had won the $1 million runnerup prize from the Bloomberg Foundation that would enable it to begin work on a single-bin solution for solid waste and recycling. While this announcement … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Curbside composting

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Way to go, Austin. City officials are asking Austinites in 7,900 households in five parts of the city to separate their banana peels, egg shells, meat, chicken bones, milk cartons, leaves and any other organic material from their household trash … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Compost that Christmas tree

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Let your Christmas tree do some good after you get rid of it. When that Christmas tree comes down this year, take a moment to imagine its next incarnation: Chipped up and mixed into soil, it might soon secure new … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Compost that Christmas tree

Compost recycling in San Antonio

Posted on December 4, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And now that I’ve mentioned compost recycling, here’s a look at how it’s working in San Antonio. At New Earth’s composting site off Interstate 10 on the far East Side, it is easy to pick out the pile generated by … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Growing the recycling economy

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

November 15 was National Recycling Day – you may recall it as the day that Houston announced a program to bring recycling to apartments – and on that day the BlueGreen Alliance put out a report on growing the recycling … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Composting

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The city of Austin is looking for more ways to reduce the amount of solid waste that it puts in landfills. Aiming to cut down the waste that Austinites send to landfills, the City of Austin is sponsoring free composting … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Compostable bag update

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The city has decided to not begin fining people just yet for not using the new biodegradable bags for yard waste. I agree that most people just need clear instructions and reasonably durable bags to do this, and I’m glad … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Biodegradable bag requirement postponed

Posted on January 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Implementation of the new city ordinance requiring biodegradable bags for yard waste has been pushed back until April. The new start date is April 5, which is after the last major fall of leaves for the season, said Harry Hayes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Yard waste

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I hadn’t realized that an ordinance requiring bbiodegradable bags for yard waste had been passed, but I like it. Under the ordinance, the city will not collect yard waste in plastic bags, and will fine residents up to $2,000 for … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Compost or else

Posted on June 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Go, San Francisco! Trash collectors in San Francisco will soon be doing more than just gathering garbage: They’ll be keeping an eye out for people who toss food scraps out with their rubbish. San Francisco this week passed a mandatory … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment