The first episode of the Small Steps Podcast is all about reducing your personal waste.

My personal environmental passion is recycling. Starting a recycling program doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal; it can be as simple as placing a box next to your trash can. Choose one item to recycle (I’d suggest returnable bottles, newspapers, or shopping bags), and throw that item into the box instead of your trash can when you’re done with it. When the box is full, take it to your recycling center and bring it back to start the process over again. As you become more comfortable with recycling, add more items to your box. Over time, the amount of trash you throw into the garbage should be noticeably less!

The following recycling resources are available online:

• Earth 911: Find places to recycle near you
• Recycle City: The EPA’s site about recycling

You may also want to check with local stores or your municipal government for details on what’s recyclable in your area. A quick Internet search often yields great results, too.

Have another great recycling resource? Post a comment!

The Success Story

The Common Ground Fair welcomes tens of thousands of people each year in central Maine. The Fair’s Zero Garbage program aims to eliminate as much waste as possible from its grounds. It’s not an easy task, but the devotion of fairgoers and volunteers make the program a success.

Organizer Tim Stillman says that the Fair usually diverts 85% of the trash produced by its 50,000 visitors each year to compost or recycling. He says that the compost-ready waste spans the length of three football fields, and the compost generated is put to use immediately right on site. If you go to the fair, you might even notice a few people with aprons made from recovered goods.

Thanks to Tim for his contribution to this episode. Please add your suggestions for reducing personal waste by leaving a comment, sending an e-mail to justin@smallstepspodcast.com, or calling the voice line at 206-350-5076.

Download the episode here: Small Steps Podcast #1

Thanks for listening!

Every episode of SSP will give you a short tip of a way you can help the environment in your everyday life. On some episodes I’ll also introduce a person or organization trying to help the environment, and I may even have them answer some questions about what they’re trying to do.

Please subscribe to the podcast by clicking the button in the top right corner of the page, or subscribe via e-mail by typing your address into the box at the top and clicking “Subscribe via E-mail.” Please participate in the show, too! You can do any of the following:

• Leave a comment on any episode’s post
• E-mail me at justin@smallstepspodcast.com
• Leave an audio comment - just call (206) 350-5076

Don’t mind me… I’m just a guy with a microphone, an iMac, and GarageBand.

Download the episode here: Small Steps Podcast #0

Thanks for listening!