Press Coverage

ZeroWaste.Org in the news.

Event challenges Ypsi residents to use no plastic for 5 days

Concentrate · August 12, 2025 · Article

Issues of the Environment: The 2025 Ypsi Plastic Free July Challenge

WEMU Issues of the Environment · July 30, 2025 · Podcast

Zero Waste Ypsi debuts in Ypsilanti community with Plastic Free July Challenge

Eastern Echo · July 25, 2025 · Article

Trash Talk Tour

Lucy Ann Lance · April 14, 2025 · Article

What happens to Ann Arbor's recyclables? Public tour opens doors to city's recycling facility – Concentrate

Concentrate · October 09, 2024 · Article

Do the materials in Ann Arborites' recycling bins actually get recycled? What should you do with old batteries? And what does Ann Arbor recycle most of? We have answers.

What happens to Ann Arbor’s recyclables? Public tour opens doors to city’s recycling facility

Concentrate · July 31, 2024 · Article

UW Zero Waste Week

The Michigan Daily · April 10, 2024 · Article

Ann Arbor businesses implement reusable takeout containers

The Michigan Daily · April 10, 2023 · Article

Ann Arbor's reusable container program is overseen by Live Zero Waste, which is now collecting community feedback on the program.

Reusable take-out food containers can reduce plastic waste, emissions, costs, U-M study finds

University of Michigan News · January 18, 2023 · Article

In the effort to reduce plastic waste in the restaurant industry—single-use takeout containers, specifically—University of Michigan researchers compared the lifetime environmental impacts of single-use and reusable food containers.

Reusable take-out food containers can reduce plastic waste, emissions, costs, U-M study finds

University of Michigan News · January 18, 2023 · Article

In the effort to reduce plastic waste in the restaurant industry—single-use takeout containers, specifically—University of Michigan researchers compared the lifetime environmental impacts of single-use and reusable food containers.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Michigan Stadium’s zero waste practices this weekend

WDIV · September 13, 2022 · Article

Take a tour of the Big House and other spots around town to see demonstrations of local efforts to reduce waste.

Issues of the Environment: Ann Arbor presents this year's 'Zero Waste Challenge'

WEMU Issues of the Environment · June 01, 2022 · Article

Extreme Minimalists: These siblings live a zero waste lifestyle

September 13, 2019 · Article

Their extreme minimalist lifestyle has allowed them to accumulate less than 20 pounds between the two of them in the past four years.

Issues of the Environment: "Trash Talk Tour" returns to Washtenaw County

WEMU-FM · Article

We all recognize solid waste as a significant issue, but how much do we really know about trash? That's the point and function of the upcoming "Trash Talk Tour" in Washtenaw County. It's an interactive, engaged effort to teach the community about how our trash is being dealt with and how best to move closer to a zero-waste lifestyle. WEMU's David Fair discussed all of it with event co-organizer and executive director of Live Zero Waste, Samuel McMullen.

mlive.com

Article

Issues of the Environment: Ann Arbor presents this year's 'Zero Waste Challenge'

WEMU-FM · Article

We are a society becoming increasingly dependent on disposable consumer products and it has a devastating impact on our environment. On "Issues of the Environment," WEMU's David Fair discusses the upcoming Zero Waste Challenge in Ann Arbor, with Live Zero Waste executive director Samuel McMullen. Find out what we can learn and how to make a difference.

What I Learned From 3 Years of Living Zero Waste | WNYC | New York Public Radio, Podcasts, Live Streaming Radio, News

WNYC · Radio

Lydia McMullen-Laird has been living a zero waste lifestyle for the past three years. She says it’s one way to ...

Live Zero Waste

Insurance for Nonprofits · Article

Shampoo, Takeout, No Plastic Containers – The Mich

Article

Samuel McMullen, co-founder of Live Zero Waste, keeps a basket of trash under his desk. It contains mostly junk mail and receipts. When he buys a Cliff bar as a snack at an airport, he adds the wrapper to the basket. Aside from the time last year when a friend mistakenly threw away McMullen’s previous IKEA bag of trash, he has been saving every piece of his trash for nearly seven years.

mlive.com

Article

mlive.com

MLive · Article

Issues of the Environment: Reducing and managing holiday waste in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County

WEMU-FM · Article

‘Tis the season! Family, friends, gift-giving and good food. It also means an inordinate amount of waste is generated. There are ways to enjoy all of our favorite holiday traditions while minimizing our environmental impact. WEMU's David Fair gained some insight on best practices from zerowaste.org co-founder, Lydia McMullen-Laird.

Reusable container programs have benefits, but are slow to take off

Restaurant Business · Article

A reusable container program in Ann Arbor, Mich., looks to address key questions for restaurants and consumers. But in a world "built for

U-M study finds reusable take-out food containers can significantly reduce plastic waste, emissions, costs

University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability · Article

In the effort to reduce plastic waste in the restaurant industry—single-use takeout containers specifically—University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability researchers compared the lifetime environmental impacts of single-use and reusable food containers. Their findings support the idea that the number of times a reusable takeout container gets used is a key factor impacting its sustainability performance.

Study looks at benefits of reusable take-out food containers | The University Record

Article

In the effort to reduce plastic waste in the restaurant industry — single-use takeout containers, specifically — University of Michigan researchers compared the lifetime environmental impacts of single-use and reusable food containers.

a2view January 26, 2023

Article

Well, I guess winter finally decided to rear its ugly head after all. I hope you all managed to stay safe and warm in spite of the snow! It was a rough week for the county for more reasons than the weather: Washtenaw saw its first murder of the year, a man died after falling from a parking structure, and the biggest downtown fire in decades engulfed two Ann Arbor businesses. An alleged bank robbery was thwarted and a fight broke out at a murder sentencing, Ann Arbor’s planning commission approved a $10 million design for a new eco-friendly fire station, and the county commission is poised to establish a reparations council. On campus, a professor accused of falsifying research data left, a football co-offensive coordinator was fired after an investigation into alleged “computer access crimes,” the volleyball team got a new head coach with Olympic gold credentials, and the Diag squirrels may have mange. On a personal note, this is my final issue as a2view editor. I’ve loved keeping you up-to-date with the latest local news over the last year but, as I’m no longer a local myself, starting this week I’ll be taking a job as a teaching fellow here at Yale and focusing on my master’s degree. I leave you in the capable hands of Steve Friess, who wrote the body of this week’s newsletter and will introduce himself properly next Thursday, when I’ll join your ranks as a fellow reader. —Dayton Hare, editor

Net Zero Living

Climate One · Podcast

Conservation begins at home – literally. Designing and operating a home that generates as much power as it uses is rapidly becoming a reality. Meanwhile, cities around the country have made zero waste a goal for their landfills. Can it be done? What steps can we take to reduce the trash on our collective backs? And what is it really like to live trash-free?

mlive.com

Article