Vox: All Posts by Ellen Rolfeshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52517/voxv.png2019-03-12T16:30:00-04:00https://www.vox.com/authors/ellen-rolfes/rss2019-03-12T16:30:00-04:002019-03-12T16:30:00-04:00Why you’re recycling wrong
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/abbf7G95xvw1sw94C3-Jy3Ku2xs=/240x0:1680x1080/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63225916/THUMB.CLEAN_VDC_XEX_653_recycling.0.jpg" />
</figure>
<p>Just a small amount of contamination can ruin recycling.</p> <p id="sVCf0j">Knowing what you can and can’t recycle isn’t easy. But when people put items that can’t be recycled into the blue bin, they can turn entire hauls of otherwise recyclable materials into trash. </p>
<p id="nfLeOJ">People try to recycle everything: Waste management workers find bowling balls, batteries, Christmas lights, animal carcasses, even dirty diapers. By 2018, about 25 percent of items that Americans were trying to recycle were considered “contaminated” and therefore trash. And the more contaminated recyclables that enter recycling plants, the more likely a recycling operator will send the entire haul, including items that could be recycled, to a landfill. </p>
<p id="KQVeHn">So why is this happening? Much of the answer has to do with a shift in the way Americans recycle. Consumers used to do more sorting of their own recycling: Metal, glass, paper, and plastic were separated before put out on the curb for collection. In the 1990s and 2000s, municipalities started shifting toward “single stream” recycling. Consumers could put everything in one bin, and machines and workers would sort the materials after collection at recovery facilities. </p>
<p id="bU5aUB">While single-stream recycling is much more convenient, there’s evidence that when people put all their recycling into just one bin, they’re more likely to throw trash in there too. </p>
<p id="Q0nCGD">Watch the video above to learn more about how you can be a better recycler and reduce recycling contamination. You can find this video and all of Vox’s videos <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/voxdotcom"><strong>on YouTube</strong></a>. And if you’re interested in supporting our video journalism, you can <a href="https://www.vox.com/join"><strong>become a member of the Vox Video Lab on YouTube</strong></a>.</p>
https://www.vox.com/videos/2019/3/12/18252188/recycling-wrong-contamination-trashEllen RolfesKimberly Mas2018-10-24T12:20:02-04:002018-10-24T12:20:02-04:00The quest for the perfect apple
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0h7Oyo64riL6m71OQpqWzsZ0Dwk=/240x0:1680x1080/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61891765/Clean_THUMB_VDC_GDS_006_branded_apples.1540396857.jpg" />
</figure>
<p>Honeycrisp apples cracked open consumer demand for premium fruit.</p> <p id="ZhOoOg">SweeTango, Zestar, Rave, Cosmic Crisp, EverCrisp, Arctic, Kissabel, Envy — these creative names all belong to new designer apples hoping to satisfy your taste buds. Farmers are racing to grow and sell the perfect apple, one with the best texture, the best crunch, <a href="https://mnhardy.umn.edu/varieties/fruit/apples/zestar">the best flavor</a> — even <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/609080/gm-apples-that-dont-brown-to-reach-us-shelves-this-fall/">an apple that won’t brown</a>. </p>
<p id="MZKO9V">The most innovative apples on the market are patented and trademarked, and have catchy names, logos, and slogans. And consumers have shown they’re willing to pay a premium price for an apple that guarantees a flavor-packed bite.</p>
<p id="BAYkDi">Watch the video above to learn more about why Red Delicious apples have dominated for so long (despite less than sublime taste) and how it all changed when the Honeycrisp sparked consumer demand for a superior tasting experience. </p>
<p id="r15oS9">To read more about <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2016/10/6/13078268/honeycrisp-apple-explainer-club-apples">designer apples, check out this extensive article</a> from Vox’s Alex Abad-Santos. </p>
<p id="xWWUqT">You can find this video and all of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLXo7UDZvByw2ixzpQCufnA"><strong>Vox’s videos on YouTube</strong></a>. Subscribe for more.</p>
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/24/17996532/quest-perfect-apple-honeycrisp-red-deliciousEllen RolfesAlexandra Cardinale