The United States is one of the most prosperous countries in the world--but we are also the most wasteful. In the U.S., we spend more on trash bags than 90 other countries spend on everything!

The market encourages citizens to "Buy, buy buy" but we rarely stop to think about what happens to our purchases when they are no longer useful. The waste stream continues to grow, landfills overflow and hazardous chemicals from our waste leach into the soil and groundwater.

Sarasota County is committed to waste reduction though conservation as well as support of innovative recycling and reuse industries. Through environmental preferable purchasing, the county seeks out low-waste and recycled-content products. As part of the green building initiative, construction debris is limited and waste is recycled whenever possible. All of these efforts help minimize our municipal waste stream.

Food Waste Composting Project
A partnership with Resource Management Group to pilot food waste recycling at the municipal level.

Green Building
Green design minimizes the waste involved in construction and uses many recycled products.

How to Reduce Waste at Home
Learn how to reduce waste in your own life, from buying green to building a compost pile.