Episode 59: What Actually Belongs in your Recycling Bin cover art

Episode 59: What Actually Belongs in your Recycling Bin

Episode 59: What Actually Belongs in your Recycling Bin

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What actually happens after your blue bin gets rolled to the curb? And more importantly—how much of it really gets recycled?

In this week’s episode, Ginny gets back to basics (but in the real-world way, not the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” poster way) to break down what actually belongs in your recycling bin.

After a weekend in Colorado full of hiking, concerts, and a surprise recycling reality check at her Airbnb, Ginny dives into why recycling in the U.S. is so confusing, what happens after pickup, and how contamination can ruin entire truckloads of recyclables.

We also dig into:
♻️ How recycling really works—from your curb to the sorting line
♻️ Why 25% of what goes into bins ends up as contamination
♻️ The business of recycling and why some materials just aren’t profitable
♻️ The top recycling myths that keep tripping us up
♻️ What actually belongs in your bin (and what definitely doesn’t)

Plus, a reality check on where recycling fits into the bigger sustainability picture—and why it’s only part of the solution, not the end-all answer.

💚 If this episode helps you see your recycling bin in a new light, share it with a friend who still “wish-cycles” their coffee cups.
⭐ Leave a review to help more people join the eco-friendly conversation!
And as always, visit nakedsustainability.com for more mindful living guides, tips, and resources.

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