Recycle This

One of America’s biggest exports to china is its recycling. But in recent months, China has been refusing shipments because so much US recycling is contaminated with food and other waste. That’s forcing communities across the US to clean up their acts.

Also: Burberry sends its unsold fashion up in smoke; H&M attempts to market itself as a greener company; a climate scientist in California changes his lifestyle to reduce his carbon footprint; a travel writer grapples with the ethics of visiting Antarctica; plus music from the Small Island, Big Song project.

(Image: Cody Marshall, with The Recycling Partnership, looks through a recycling bin in Lynn, Massachusetts. His organization is working with cities across the US, helping them educate residents on how to recycle better. Credit: Jason Margolis/PRI’s The World)