Trash Magic!

Did you know Ceramics do not biodegrade? Think about it, ceramics are found buried from ancient civilizations! Shashank Nimkar was inspired by seeing all the ceramic waste from factories near his home and created an innovative solution! Shashank Nimkar founder and CEO of Earth Tatva is reducing mining for natural resources through closed-loop manufacturing of ceramics. Through his innovative proce...

In this episode we explore how technology can save the planet! Jessica is an industry analyst, current director of digital innovation at Intentional Futures, former founding partner of Kaleido Insights, and emerging technology advisor specializing in intersections of data, technologies, humans, and environment. Find Jessica at: https://jessgroopman.com/ Trash Magic! is made with love (and self-fun...

Lorrine Patterson, Best Selling Author of "Freeing Your Heart for Love" and Founder/CEO of a nonprofit, joins us today to discuss her own journey in loving herself and recommends how to deal with climate anxiety. She is a guiding light for people challenged with depression and abuse to discover self-love and internal happiness. You can find her work on her website , TikTok , and Instagra...

The co-hosts of Trash Magic! - Oakley and Sara - dive deeper into the meaning of trash magic and why we LOVE TRASH, genuinely. Learn more about how Sara and Oakley met, our re-branding of our podcast from "What the hell do I do with this?" to "Trash Magic!" and dive deeper into our love of circular economy.  Link to Buy Nothing Trash Magic! is made with love (and self-funded)....

Terrill Haigler became an essential worker less than three months after accepting the position as a laborer for the Philadelphia Sanitation Department. To bridge the gap between residents and sanitation workers he created the Instagram page @_yafavtrashman to give residents an insider look of what sanitation workers experienced during the pandemic. When Terrill noticed that his co-workers didn’t h...

Sara and Oakley explore the health and environmental impacts of makeup. Dive in for some dirty secrets on the beauty industry.  Note: We refer to "women" a lot in the episode but this information applies to anyone who wears makeup.  Lots of resources mentioned in this episode! Here they are: Cosmetic Ingredient Review Story of Stuff: Cosmetics EWG: Skin Deep  Think Dirty Ulta Clean Ingre...

Derek Ruckman is the CEO of WasteXperts. WasteXperts does onsite waste sorting and training and save their customers money while improving recycling/environmental performance. Derek has over a decade of experience in the waste and recycling industry and he is dedicated to keeping waste out of the landfills and creating a circular economy. Today we learn about the power of proper residential recycl...

Being a sustainability professional or climate change activist can be draining. Burnout is high when we are all trying to save the world. That's why Chance Thompson (aka The Designer) created VIRIDESCENT! He helps change makers create their Sustainability Alter Egos - the superhero version of ourselves we can lean on when our work becomes too much. VIRIDESCENT adds fun and creativity to sustai...

Lena Ziegler gives us practical tips and tricks to creating a sustainable wardrobe! Join us for this special episode where we explore what we can do as individuals to be more conscious of our impact and look good doing it! Sources Lena mentions in Episode: Good on You Fashion Revolution Redress Lena Ziegler on LinkedIn Trash Magic! is made with love (and self-funded). Consider supporting us by fol...

Have you ever wondered what happens to that old band t-shirt when you donate it? Or who sewed your jeans together? Where did this sweater really come from? In her book Unraveled, Maxine Bédat takes an incredible journey around the world to discover exactly how our clothes are made and where they end up when we discard them. Oakley and Sara review her book and give our reflections on an industry th...

For the majority of people, waste management is a mystifying force with operations that vary widely from state to state and even differ across county lines. In this episode Oakley and Sara interview a variety of thought leaders in the waste and recycling space. Trash Magic is excited to feature our friends and colleagues from the National Waste and Recycling Associations (NWRA) Women's Council...

Is plastic itself the problem or just how we are handling it? We answer that question and so much more with a good friend and plastic expert: Dr. Kat Knauer! She is a PhD in polymer science and dedicated her career to research and implement the latest in plastic recycling technologies! We talk about the technologies which will change the future of plastic recycling, her volunteer efforts with Ocea...

This episode is dedicated to Morgan Ruth Vickers who sadly passed due to complications from her chronic illnesses on December 2023. She will live on in our memories. Think of her when you wear something you love and feel good about yourself in. She would want nothing else! In this episode we explore the many layers to fashion - and I don't just mean the layered tanks we wore in the early 2000&...

This is one of our favorite episode yet! Our amazing friend and hydrologist, Kirpa Grewal explains to Sara and Oakley how plastic gets into our oceans, waterways, air, and EVEN FOOD. It is an alarming issue but Kirpa does an incredible job explaining the reality of the issue and giving us actionable steps and hope to fight this pressing issue. So grateful for your knowledge and expertise Kirpa! Yo...

Sara and Oakley explore the complex issue of plastic and give ya'll clear tips on what exactly you can recycle! We go through the myths around plastic, the pros and cons of the material, the technology to change the industry, and what you can do about your own plastic! Trash Magic! is made with love (and self-funded). Consider supporting us by following on ⁠Instagram⁠ , rating on your favorite...

We had the amazing opportunity to interview Tom Hockin, National Director for Origination & Feedstock at Brightmark. China banned accepting plastic waste from the globe in 2018. In response, Brightmark has created a US-based solution to handle our plastic recycling and turn it into a valuable end product. This is the first episode on our three-part series on plastic in celebration of July - Pl...

This episode is about what the hell to do with batteries, lightbulbs, and paint. And of course we dive into the bigger picture of all three in terms of their impact on people, the planet, and even beetles! Yes, beetles. Listen to find out! Trash Magic! is made with love (and self-funded). Consider supporting us by following on ⁠Instagram⁠ , rating on your favorite podcast platform or ⁠Buy Us a Cof...

Is MRF a material recovery facility or the name of Sara's boyfriend? Find out on this week's episode! Do you know what happens to your recycling after it's picked up!? Learning what happens to your recycling is an amazing way to understand what can be recycled and what is "wish cycled" (something we hope can be recycled but truly can't!) One thing you as an individual to...

Sara and Oakley share their tips and ticks for buying and selling second hand! Why is it worth buying and selling second hand? We share our favorite stories. Spoiler: buying second hand is good for the environment, good for your wallet, good for your community. We are also joined by Abbie Burgess who is a new mom who was inspired to start buying more second hand! How does she pull it off? Take a l...

Have we really evolved if we throw solar panels in the landfill? Our own Sara Fuentes said it best herself: "Any new innovation that's going to help save the planet has to be created in a way that is everlasting." It may not be sexy to think about the end of life of objects but when it comes to the future of clean energy, we have to think about it! Do you have solar panels at home? T...

Phone, wallet, keys, mask... we live in a new world where we have one more thing to remember before we leave the house. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is something you're already familiar with if you work in manufacturing or the healthcare industry but now everyone knows what it is! An example of PPE is what we wear everyday to protect ourselves and each other from Covid: a mask! On this...

Here on Trash Magic, the glass is always half full! On today's episode we talk about what to do with your glass jars and even windows and car windshields! Did you also know that sand, the main ingredient in glass is actually running out!? Did you know wine bottles may not be able to be recycled!? Before you panic, take a listen to the episode for some solutions and tips. Stay classy, stay tras...

What exactly is circular economy!? Who are our hosts Sara and Oakley and how did they get into loving trash so much? What horoscope sign is Pitbull!? Learn all of this and more in this week's episode! Trash Magic! is made with love (and self-funded). Consider supporting us by following on ⁠Instagram⁠ , rating on your favorite podcast platform or ⁠Buy Us a Coffee⁠ . Thank you Dumpster Divas!

Hi everyone! Welcome to part 3 of our food series. Great episode today talking about commercial compost, practical tips to reduce your food waste, and how to compost at home featuring Oakley's friend Julia Samson. Julia tells us how she uses worms to compost her food at home!  Trash Magic! is made with love (and self-funded). Consider supporting us by following on ⁠Instagram⁠ , rating on your...

Which takeout container is the "best" for the environment? Is this the last straw for plastic!? Find out in this week's episode Trash Magic! is made with love (and self-funded). Consider supporting us by following on ⁠Instagram⁠ , rating on your favorite podcast platform or ⁠Buy Us a Coffee⁠ . Thank you Dumpster Divas!