Styrofoam Removal!

My days at down:2:earth have been great thus far. Best of all, these sustainable minds put their money where there mouth is. For instance as you may have seen from our previous blogs we have implemented a recycling program with Earthworm and have already recycled 481 pounds of paper...saving the equivalent of 4 trees!

During my interviewing process I remember seeing this box filled with Styrofoam peanuts in Lorelei's office. I realized three weeks later that the box wasn't part of the decor in her office, but rather she couldn't find someone that would recycle them. After several attempts to contact different UPS and FedEx locations, she put me to the test and gave me the mission of finding a more sustainable destination for the Styrofoam than a land fill.

I quickly jumped online, ran a search, and was heartened to see that I wasn't alone! Other people had the exact same issue and were actively seeking out ways to recycle their unwanted packing materials. In a chat forum I found online, someone recommended a UPS Store store location where they accepted the Styrofoam peanuts. The only requirement was that they be clean and placed in a clear bag. So, if you have some Styrofoam lying around and want to get rid of it sustainably, this is the place for you!


After work, I hopped on the T and headed towards their location on Mass Ave. The guys there were very nice and even let me take a picture of them doing their part to save the planet.

“We are not the most sustainable business, but we try to do what we can with the little things. We don’t want people to throw out something we can re-use.” They went on to say that currently all of the Styrofoam that they are using is biodegradable and recyclable.

At the end of the day, you may not be working for a company that is completely sustainable, but what matters is that you try to help out however you can. Who knows...in the long run, being sustainable might even save you money! Like those airlines that are attempting to reduce their costs by serving drinks from big bottles instead of using individual cans. It’s safe to say that airlines aren’t the most sustainable businesses out there, but if they can figure out a way to chip in, so can we!

Nathalie Zegarra