I've lost track of the number of earbuds I still have in my desk drawer. Add onto those the earbuds I've bought that hurt my ears, and the pile is huge! Whatever you do, don’t throw them in the garbage!

Less than 25% of e-waste is recycled and in 2022 alone, more than 6.9 MILLION tons of e-waste was produced in the U.S. according to PIRG.

You’ve got some pretty easy options available to recycle headphones/earbuds. Less in the landfills is always positive.

1️⃣ Best Buy stores will accept used headphones for recycling. No cost to you!
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/services/recycling/pcmcat149900050025.c?id=pcmcat149900050025

2️⃣ Try out this handy, zip-code search function by Earth911 to find other local recycling centers. Search on “headphones” or “audio equipment.” https://search.earth911.com

3️⃣ JLabs works with a recycling center to break them down & dispose of them properly. And when you mail them in, they give you a 30% discount on a new pair (if you need them).
https://www.jlab.com/pages/recycling

PS - Use our 🔍 search functionality to find more info on hard-to-recycle items! Use keywords: recycling 101
(You can find our search 🔍 function in the upper right corner when you exit this opportunity.)

📸: Josh Valcarcel, Wired

40% of food is wasted in the US, with households being the largest source of waste. When we throw food away, it’s sitting in a landfill and emitting methane.

For 2025, start with a simple pledge. Tap "Join" ☝️ to get involved.

👉 Pledge to consider how much food you're throwing out. Either cut down the amount you're purchasing at the grocery store, or find out just how amazing leftovers can be! And, if you needed any further reason, research suggests cutting food waste can save a household at least $1,500 a year.

PS - Need a boost to help you win the fight against expiring food?! Download the "Eat This First" sign to help you organize in the fridge! https://www.stopwaste.org/resource/eat-this-first-sign

📸: iStock

Were you a fortunate recipient of a gift card at the holidays? Or perhaps for your birthday? 1.6 billion plastic gift cards are printed every year in the United States.* This creates approximately 9000 tons of plastic waste and 33,260 tons of CO2 released into the atmosphere. 

The other sad reality is that most of us throw these #3 PVC cards in the garbage once we're done with them. While PVC is a common type of plastic, you’re unlikely to find a curbside recycling program that will accept this form of plastic. So, what can you do?

1️⃣ Determine what type of gift card you have. Is it made of #3 plastic? Keep in mind that some gift cards (such as those from Target, LL Bean, and REI) are made of biodegradable materials like corn and they will eventually break down. (Check the back of the card, and if it's made from a company named NatureWorks, it's biodegradable.) If you have a card made of plastic, read on.

2️⃣ Call your curbside recycling provider to obtain a definite answer on their recyclability in your hometown's program. If they don't recycle them in the curbside program, read on.

3️⃣ Your nearest Best Buy will accept gift cards in their recycling kiosks. It's free!
https://recyclenation.com/2011/12/best-buy-recycling-program/

4️⃣ While there is a cost associated with this option, Terracycle offers pouches where you can collect the gift cards at home, then mail them in for recycling.
https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/collection-programs?query=plastic%20cards

Happy recycling!

PS - Check out the rest of our recycling series when you use our 🔍 search functionality with keywords: Recycling 101

Our 🔍 search functionality is in the upper right corner (after you exit this Opportunity).

*: GiftRocket
📸: Unsplash