A national spotlight landed in Columbus, and we were ready for it. Hosting a major recycling and waste management conference downtown gave us the perfect backdrop to show how practical changes—like weekly curbside recycling, free convenience centers, and expanded food scrap drop-offs—are helping residents waste less while strengthening our local economy. Hanna and Joe sit down with Mayor Andrew Ginther to dig into the city’s climate action targets, the momentum behind youth education, and why most recyclables collected here stay in Ohio.

We talk through the results of moving to weekly recycling, including a double-digit participation boost, more than 34,000 tons collected, and a reduction in trash headed to the landfill. From there, we tackle food waste. Central Ohio discards over a million pounds of food scraps each day, so the city’s drop-off sites and event rescues at festivals like Jazz and Rib Fest are turning surplus into meals and scraps into compost. That cuts methane and supports our neighbors. You’ll also hear how convenience centers accept styrofoam, furniture, clothing, and electronics at no cost, thanks to partnerships with us at SWACO, Goodwill, the Furniture Bank, and local refurbishers that keep materials moving in a circular loop.

Myth busting gets its due too in this episde. Yes, empty pizza boxes with a little grease are recyclable. We connect the dots between accessible services, clear education, and a thriving circular economy that creates thousands of jobs while protecting limited landfill space. If you care about real results, local impact, and practical steps you can use during the holidays and beyond, this conversation will give you the playbook.

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