About 75 percent of Austinites recycle, but in order to reach the city’s goal of zero waste by 2040, they're not recycling enough, according to the director of Austin Resource Recovery.
"We are doing well on organics collection, on the yard trimmings and so forth. We have a lot to do on the blue bin,” Bob Gedert with Austin Resource Recovery said.
That's the recycling cart that every Austin home and business must have. Gedert says about three-fourths of Austinites recycle, but even those that do could recycle twice as much as they do today.
Thinking twice before you toss helps grow the region's recycling economy. A study out this month found Austin's economy gets a $720 million boost from recycling now with room to surpass $1 billion in economic impact.
"As demand for those services increases, those businesses that are small – often family run businesses that have grown up here in Austin – are able to expand their capacity and create more jobs,” Natalie Betts with the Austin Recycling Economic Development Program said.
Organic waste put into green carts is taken to companies like Organics by Gosh in east Austin. Organics by Gosh takes yard debris and organics waste and turns them into products like sustainable mulch.
"The soil being the skin of the earth, we are going to rebuild that to where it holds moisture and purifies that water and also grows healthy plants and healthy food,” Phil Gosh wihth Organics by Gosh said.
Gosh began taking in food waste from the city's recycling program and found a good use for it.
"The food has nutrition in it. It makes a great compost, and it keeps it out of the landfill,” Gosh said.
For a full list of accepted recycling items, visit AustinRecycles.com.