Circulating Futures Dear Reader, Welcome to our 11th Philly Talks Trash Quarterly Newsletter. We are pleased to share with you our effort to grow knowledge and enthusiasm for reducing waste […]
Bring Your Own: June ’26 Tip of the Month
One of the simplest things you can do right now to reduce waste is also one of the most powerful: bring your own. Plastic bags are on their way out, […]
ECHO @RootsPicnic : An Open Invitation to Live Nation: Philly Is Ready to REUSE
Across 18 years, the Roots Picnic has bridged genres, eras, and generations of music, documenting the moments that helped shape who we are as a city and as a people. […]
Philly Unwrapped Welcomes New Coalition Member Salvage Compost
Philly Unwrapped is proud to welcome Salvage Compost as a new coalition member. Founded by Anthony James, Salvage Compost brings a powerful community-rooted perspective to food waste, environmental justice, and urban sustainability, turning discarded food into regenerative resources while helping build a more equitable local waste system.
Philadelphia’s Waste Problem: What Are We Really Throwing Away?
Philadelphia generates nearly 1.3 million tons of trash each year, yet few residents know where that waste goes or who is most impacted. This article breaks down Philadelphia’s waste system, the stalled Stop Trashing Our Air Act, the health and environmental costs of incineration in Chester, and why waste reduction, reuse, and community action are critical to the city’s future.
Philly Unwrapped Prevention First Policy Working Group Launches to Advance Reuse in Philadelphia
The Philly Unwrapped Prevention First Policy Working Group has officially launched, bringing together advocates, practitioners, and community leaders to reduce single-use waste at its source and advance practical, equitable reuse solutions in Philadelphia’s food system.
What We Learned at the Beyond Plastics Affiliate Conference About Plastic Pollution and Environmental Justice
ECHO Systems recently attended the Regional Beyond Plastics Affiliate Conference, where advocates, organizers, and policy leaders came together to confront the realities of plastic pollution, incineration, and environmental injustice. The conference made one thing clear: we cannot recycle our way out of a crisis driven by overproduction. From coalition-building and local policy wins to the urgent need for reuse and waste reduction, these conversations offered both clarity and direction for Philadelphia’s path forward.
Stop Trashing Our Air: Policy Update
Philadelphia burns roughly 180,000 tons of trash each year, much of it at an incinerator in nearby Chester — a long-standing case of environmental racism. With the City’s trash and recycling contracts expiring this year, decisions made now will shape Philadelphia’s waste system and public health for years to come.
A Low-Waste Christmas in Philly: How to Stay Jolly Without Feeding the Fire (Literally)
Every December, even the greenest among us lose it a little. We spend all year composting coffee grounds and preaching sustainability — then December hits and suddenly we’re panic-buying novelty […]
ECHO Systems Awarded EPA Grant to Expand ‘Philly Unwrapped’ Waste Reduction Initiative
Philadelphia, PA – Since its inception in 2016, ECHO Systems has been transforming the food industry in Philadelphia, one plastic container at a time. Guided by its motto, “we stop […]