This image is a “Re-framing” of the old “Waste Hierarchy” inverted triangle that was once thought of as the simpler “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. See the Recycle Smart newsletter for a discussion of what all these other R’s are for, and why three of them are not enough. Just be careful. MA State resources used to be accurate for Greenfield, but now that we are sending our recyclables out of state, MA rules about what is recyclable or what is not sometimes don’t match what the Berlin, CT MRF takes. Try here instead. (Fun game: see if you can spot the differences!)
Waste Reduction Ideas and Local Resources
To help reduce potentially negative environmental impacts of purchasing new goods and disposing of used items consider
- Giving experiential gifts;
- Buying previously owned items; and
- Donating gently used items you no longer need.
Click here for local ideas.
Businesses: What’s still in your trash?
Free, Private, Individualized help for businesses seeking assistance with waste (or energy) reduction
MassDEP has contracted with CET to provide RecyclingWorks, a program to assist Massachusetts businesses of all sizes in reducing their waste.
Business waste reduction experts from RecyclingWorks in MA offer FREE waste reduction assistance in Greenfield, MA and all Massachusetts towns by appointment.
- Consult with an expert at no cost to you
- Receive customized recommendations
- Implement solutions with continued support
Please fill out all required sections and as much of the rest as you can to make the visit more productive, but DON’T let any question keep you from signing up!
At the 6/3/25 Waste Reduction Action Day for Greenfield, the event was a partnership of Greening Greenfield, the Greenfield Business Association, and the City of Greenfield. We will announce if any of these consults lead to any Greenfield locations earning a Carbon Conscious Business Accreditation, potentially available to businesses that have both a waste and an energy audit done.
Remember, anything you pay for to bring in the front door that you pay for again to dispose of, is the definition of “waste” and therefore inefficiency.
For more information: info@recyclingworksma.com or 888-254-5525.
EPA announces national recycling rates (2019 data published in 2025)
The report estimated recycling rates of:
- PET bottles: 23.2%.
- PET rigids: 5.9%.
- HDPE bottles: 22.7%.
- Aluminum: 36.9%.
- Steel: 31.2%.
- Cardboard: 53.5%.
- Paper: 29.6%.
- Glass: 41.4%.
- Total: 38.9%
This Resource Recycling article explains how the data and data methods are changing.
Materials Management Hierarchy
We’ve all heard the refrain “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, but did you know or notice there is a reason for that order?
As we try to create a human-influenced world that more closely mimics nature, what has typically been called the “Solid Waste Hierarchy” is now better referred to as the “Materials Management Hierarchy,” because one entity’s “waste” must really become some other entity’s …well, if not “treasure”, then how about “feedstock”?
So while we love and support recycling, where most of the attention has usually gone, let’s see if we can focus more attention on reducing, so there is no waste to begin with, and on reuse, so that what we do make can save some raw materials even before thinking about recycling. We need a major paradigm shift. See the original The Story of Stuff video, and while you’re there, check out many more-recent offerings.
Greening Greenfield isn’t going to be your primary source for information on this topic, but we can send you to our own Definitions page to get started and to a few of our favorite, or most useful other sites. When we talk about waste reduction, we are often discussing plastics, so check out the discussion and links on our Plastics page.
Repair
(OK, “Repair” is a different “R” than “Reduce”, but if you repair it and don’t throw it away, you get to Reuse it, which means you’ve Reduced your waste, right?)
From time to time we hear about repair opportunities, many of them FREE! This is not meant as a comprehensive list, but let us know if you are aware of something that belongs on this list.
- Knife Sharpening: Big Y Butcher shop. (any Big Y)
- Mending: At Greenfield Public Library, 3rd Tuesday of each month from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Details on library calendar.
Repair Events
- On 5/31/26 the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District. Last year there were 60 participants, and this year 119! 41 of those folks were from Greenfield. Don’t forget that last year their first intention was to open the event only to FCSWMD residents, so it’s REALLY good that we stepped forward to make their advertising easier and their pocketbook less strained. They did get a DEP micro-grant to run these. (The same flavor of grant that got us our grommet machines in late 2019.) Let’s celebrate that 119+ folks were able to get their items repaired at no charge, and keep those items out of the landfill.
Watch for these upcoming events:
– July 26 (Sunday!) Northfield Golf Club 1-3 pm in the shade under the Beech House Tent, pizza & setup at noon. (Possibly sponsored by the Northfield Library?)
– Aug 15 @ Mahar Region School in Orange
Resources
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Guide 2025, Beyond the Bin
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Guide 2024, Squashing Food Waste
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Guide 2023, What happens to Recycled Materials
(Why do we show old copies of the RRR Guide? Although the most recent one has the most recent info for what is recyclable and where non-bin things can go, each year emphasizes some aspect that is still relevant and not covered in other issues.)