Higherwire and Keep Tempe Beautiful at Tempe Zero Waste Days

Last Saturday, July 23rd, the Higherwire team was out to volunteer with Keep Tempe Beautiful at Tempe's Zero Waste Day. For those not in the know, Tempe Fire Training center between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. Keep Tempe Beautiful is a non-profit whose goal is to take action to make Tempe a clean, green, and beautiful place to live.

We focus on lithium battery recycling and repurposing, but this weekend we helped Treasures 4 Teachers and collected food for Tempe Community Action Agency. Treasures 4 Teachers offers educators the ability to create a better learning environment by giving access to a wide range of materials. Educators are able to acquire these materials at little to no cost. TCA focuses on strengthening families and neighborhoods by fighting against poverty. On an annual basis, TCAA programs have helped more than 27,000 seniors, adults, and children who live within or near the City of Tempe.

Acceptable items to bring to Zero Waste Day:

- Food Donations

- Yard signs

- CDs and CD cases

- Paper to shred

- Building materials and scrap metal

- Styrofoam

- Clothing

- Furniture (NO mattresses)

- Household items

- Electronics and appliances

- Hazardous household waste

- Bikes and tires

For more information, visit Tempe's Zero Waste Day website right here.

Recycling vs. Zero Waste

Recycling focuses on waste reduction, whereas the concept of zero waste aims for elimination. Recycling falls into the idea of zero waste, but zero waste is not a considerable part of recycling. With recycling, there are many loopholes where waste is released back into the environment, while zero waste leaves no room for contamination.  Zero waste creates a healthier environment for both you and those around you.

What Higherwire does to contribute to zero waste

Here at Higherwire we believe in second chances, and with that we do our best to keep lithium-ion batteries out of landfills - offering many cells a second life.

Higherwire has applied a circular concept to reimagine sustainable energy, greatly improving the useful life of lithium batteries and addressing often-cited concerns that act as barriers to widespread adoption of renewables and electrification. We work with solid waste officials to expand battery recycling internally and among residents and develop best practices to safely handle and transport batteries. We are also increasing public awareness through online and in-person marketing to encourage the proper disposal of LIBs. Our commitment includes a physical presence at recycling and other events, circulating virtual flyers and other marketing materials animated explainer videos and a lithium battery recycling center locator on our website, among others.

The Five R’s

1. REFUSE to buy items with more extensive packaging. Less is more.
2. REDUCE what you're buying to the minimum of necessities.
3. REUSE your old items and shop used items.
4. ROT your food waste into compost.
5. RECYCLE!!

Fun Facts

• A little more than half of the garbage in the U.S is buried in landfills weighing more than 139 MILLION tons - that equates to about 23,166,666 African elephants.
• The U.S contributes as much as 242 million tons of trash into the ocean, weighing as much as 1,613,333 blue whales.
• It is expected that by 2050, there will be more trash in the ocean than fish.

Can you say you're doing everything in your power to leave behind a green world?