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Every year on April 22nd, we celebrate Earth Day. This is a day when people all over the world come together to celebrate Mother Nature and how special our planet is. It is our job to protect the Earth; we need to do everything we can at a personal level to minimize our use of resources, and urge governments and corporations to be more sustainable. 

The first Earth Day was in 1970, when the United States passed the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. These were two critical pieces of legislation that advanced environmental protections in our country. These acts protect the water that we drink and the air that we breathe; shortly after they were enacted, we saw dramatic improvements in air and water quality.

There have been some recent rollbacks on the Clean Air and Water Acts from the Environmental Protection Agency. These include the repeal of the endangerment finding and vehicle emission standards, which significantly reduce the government’s ability to regulate air pollution. Under the Clean Water Act, protections have been limited through changes to the definition of protected waters, which now exclude many waterways including wetlands, creeks and streams. Enforcement of both laws has also declined, leading to even more environmental degradation. These rollbacks are unfortunate; however, there are still ways that you can limit your personal pollution output. 

In terms of your personal air pollution, the best way to limit is from driving less, carpooling more often, and using transit. Riding a bicycle or walking is also a great way to experience nature and limit air pollution. 

When it comes to water pollution, there are also a few ways to limit your output. Water your lawn less frequently, and be aware of chemicals used in landscaping. Dispose of hazardous materials like electronics and chemicals properly; Recycle Utah’s free Hazardous Waste Collection Day is on Saturday. This ensures that our waterways remain clean, keeping our drinking water safe. 

Our personal actions matter. This Earth Day, appreciate about the planet and consider ways you can live more sustainably!

By Sean McCarthy

Did you know that the Park City Library has a “Unique Items” collection made up of a wide variety of items beyond books? It’s part of a shared economy that expands on the traditional concept of libraries lending books. We offer items that can be borrowed, used, and returned for other community members to enjoy.

Save money and reduce consumerism by borrowing items for free instead of purchasing something you may only need once or a few times. These items range from technology like GoPros and Hotspots to tools that can help you plant your garden through our seed library.

To check out a unique item, all you need is your library card. You can check out items for one week at a time. Stop by the Park City Library at 1255 Park Ave. to check out an item yourself!

Browse through some Unique Items below and check out our website to find even more!

Sustainability: Waste audit kit, Energy detective kit, Solar power banks, Radon detector, Portable induction cooktop, Gardening tools, Indoor air quality monitor

Entertainment: Telescope, Record player, Projector

Technology: Converters, Green screen kit, Go pros, Hot spots, Rokus

Outdoor recreation: Hiking kits, Hiking child carrier, Binoculars, Outdoor games, Bike pump, Portable power stations

Lifestyle: Sewing machine, Pack n play, Musical instruments, Crochet and knitting supplies, Stud finder, Karaoke machine, Tools, Video lighting kit, Metal detector, Bubble machine, Board games

By Rylee Broach, Park City Library

Summit County curbside recycling is transported to WM, a large Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Salt Lake City. Recycle Utah staff and volunteers were able to take a tour of Waste Management, and ask a few of our burning recycling questions. Here are some answers to our FAQ’s for curbside recycling to help put you on the right path. 

As always, curbside recycling guidelines vary from county to county and are subject to change. Please check local recycling guidelines for the most up to date information. 

Can I put my recycling in a trash bag? 

No. The best way to ensure your materials are recycled is to place loose in the bin. If recyclables are bagged, they are assumed to be trash when they reach the MRF. If you line your indoor recycling bin with a trash bag, please dump recyclables straight into curbside bin without the plastic liner. 

Do my materials have to be washed prior to recycling? 

Plastics in your curbside recycling need to be free of any major food or liquid residue prior to going in your recycling bin. However, they do not need to be dishwashed or 100% clean prior to recycling. Sorted materials are cleaned as part of the recycling process. Just make sure that your materials are empty; most materials are sorted at the MRF using optical (AI) sorters, so as long as the material has a similar weight to what it would weigh completely empty, it will be identified as the correct material. For example, just scoop out all the peanut butter or yogurt out of the container, or pour out liquids from bottles before putting them in the bin.

Does curbside recycling actually get recycled? 

Yes! WM is able to recycle over 90% of material which arrives at their facility. Recycling is about saying yes, not no. As technologies advance and sorting becomes increasingly automated, more and more materials are able to be recycled curbside. Materials sorted at the MRF are connected to their end source recycler, primarily domestically, where they are processed back into packaging and other recycled products.

For more information about curbside recycling, please visit wm.com/recycle-right for more information. For a full tour of Waste Management, filmed by Recycle Utah, check out @RecycleUtah on YouTube. 

By Mia Moore

At last year’s Green Drinks gathering at fulFILLed Lifestyle Co., the room went quiet when a guest doctor shared a startling statistic: the average person now carries about a plastic spoon’s worth of microplastic in their brain. Not in our oceans or landfills—in our brains. Naturally, everyone wanted to know: where is all this plastic coming from? While microplastics are everywhere in modern life, in this article we’ll be focused on those common culprits found in our kitchens.

First, a quick refresher. Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters. They form when larger plastics break down through abrasion, heat, and chemical processes. Here are a few common kitchen items that may be unintentionally adding microplastics to your meals.

1. Plastic Cutting Boards

If that makes you cringe, you’re not alone. As a former environmental journalist, and now someone who runs a local business focused on helping people reduce toxins and plastic, I only removed plastic cutting boards from my home a few years ago.

Plastic boards have long been marketed as the most hygienic option, but every knife stroke scrapes off tiny fragments of plastic. A 2023 study published in Environmental Science & Technology estimated that typical use of polyethylene or polypropylene cutting boards could release 14–79 million microplastic particles per year.

Instead, consider cutting boards made of wood, bamboo, marble, or tempered glass. I personally use wood or bamboo for produce and glass for meat and poultry because it’s easy to sanitize.

2. Sponges and Scrubbers

Many common kitchen sponges are made of plastic-based materials that shed microscopic fibers as they wear down. Those fibers can end up on your dishes, in your food, or washed down the drain into wastewater. Natural alternatives like plant-based sponges, wooden scrub brushes, loofahs, or cotton dishcloths can help reduce that plastic shedding.

3. Plastic Containers and Microwaving

Heating food in plastic containers—even ones labeled “microwave-safe”—can increase the release of micro- and nanoplastics. Research shows that just a few minutes of microwaving can release millions of particles into food. 

“Microwave-safe” simply means the container won’t melt or warp. It does not guarantee that chemicals or plastic particles won’t leach into your food. Glass or ceramic containers are a safer option for storing and reheating meals.

4. Tea Bags and Plastic Wrap

Many conventional tea bags contain polypropylene, which can release billions of microplastic particles when steeped in hot water. Plastic wrap, resealable bags, and takeout packaging can also shed microscopic fragments when stretched or heated.  Switching to loose-leaf tea, beeswax wraps, silicone bags, or glass storage can help reduce these exposures.

The long-term health impacts of microplastics are still being studied. But one thing is clear: our kitchens play a bigger role than we might think. The good news is that a few simple swaps can significantly reduce the plastic particles entering both our meals and our bodies.

By Kimberly Flores, co-founder fulFILLed Lifestyle Co.

“Paper or plastic?” You’ve probably heard this question at the grocery store. Or—if you’re like me—you haven’t, because you brought your own bag.

I used to never bring reusable bags to Trader Joe’s. I’d walk out with four giant paper bags and no plan for what to do with them. They’d get stuffed under the sink until there was literally no room left. I told myself I was saving them to reuse someday… but that day never came.

Once I started bringing my own bags, I realized I’d been doing it the hard way for years.

The average American goes to the grocery store at least once a week. If someone leaves each time with just two plastic bags, that adds up to hundreds of plastic bags a year—for one person. Multiply that by an entire community, and it’s a staggering amount of waste. The good news? It’s completely avoidable. A $3 reusable bag can replace thousands of single-use bags over its lifetime. It reduces plastic waste and frees up space in your trash can—and under your sink.

My trick is simple: I leave my reusable bags in the car after every grocery trip so I never forget them.

I can imagine a future with “bagless” grocery stores—and I think it would be a good one. Or at least a future where stores charge a hefty fee for bags. States like California and Delaware already do this, and it works. I grew up in California and saw first-hand how it influences people to bring their own bag. If Utah adopted a similar policy, we’d likely see the same shift.

So next time you head to the store, bring your own bag. It’s a small habit that makes a big difference.

By Sean McCarthy

Living in Utah, the 2nd driest state in the U.S., means that we think a lot about water conservation. Responsibly managing our water use is essential to the longevity of the Wasatch Back, which nearly 90,000 people call home. Common water uses include agriculture, lawns, and industrial and commercial users–but what are some of the hidden water uses we see in our daily lives? 

Almost every product we purchase requires water in its production, some far more than others. For example, the average pair of jeans requires between 3,000 and 4,000 liters of water to make, as reported by the UN Environmental Programme. For the example of jeans, this water is typically consumed during the growing of the cotton for the jeans. We do not see or inherently think about water being a requirement for our jeans–or our burgers–but any time we grow a product (or raise an animal), we see significant water consumption going into the earliest stages of production. Some plants or animals require significantly less water than others, which is why we see products emerging made of less water-intensive crops, such as bamboo. 

We also see significant hidden water use in many of our electronics and other products, which require specialized metals. The average smartphone in 2025 requires roughly 12,000 to 13,000 liters of water throughout its production. This water is primarily consumed through the mining of raw materials, where ore is rinsed extensively throughout the production process. This produces wastewater, which can be highly toxic and dangerous to the natural environment, and must be diluted or cleaned before being returned to the water stream. Sometimes the water used for mining is greywater to begin with, being diverted from local residential wastewater streams, which allows for a less energy-intensive process. 

These are just some of the examples of ways our waterfootprint can grow significantly behind closed doors. In general, whenever you are purchasing something made of a virgin material (especially a rare metal), you can be certain it came with a high water tax. Purchasing second-hand is one of the best ways to lower your water tax, as well as your general carbon and environmental footprint! The website watercalculator.org provides a great tool to calculate your personal water footprint, as well as some recommendations on how to cut down on superficial and hidden water use.

By Mia Moore