With Earth Day this month, reducing our waste is high on my mind. We finally started recycling our glass this year, but I know there’s more my household can do. Last year, I told you all about the Hefty® EnergyBag™ program. It’s time to revisit it since they’re now even more convenient to purchase and begin using.

Since the program started in 2016, it’s grown, and now it’s at Hy-Vee stores near me. So, stay tuned for me sharing our experience trying the program later this month!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Hefty®. All thoughts, opinions, and typos are my own.

Let’s dive into the program.

What is the Hefty® EnergyBag™ program

You’re probably already familiar with Hefty’s® strong, dependable waste bags, but Hefty’s® is also a leader in slider bags, foam plates, and plastic cups. The cool thing about the >Hefty® EnergyBag™ program, is that it offers a solution for the plastics around your house that typically can’t be recycled mechanically.

Consumers can buy the orange Hefty® EnergyBags™, fill them with plastics, and then have that bag picked up curbside. The plastics are then sorted and converted into energy to produce cement.

This isn’t a recycling program, so keep on gathering your recyclables. This is a solution for collecting plastics that cannot be recycled.

How the Hefty® EnergyBag™ Program works

– You collect your non-recycled plastics in the bright orange bag.

– Once you fill a bag, you place it curbside with your other recyclables and trash for pick up as part of normal service and schedule.

– The non-recyclable plastics are then taken to a local materials recovery facilities and sorted.

– The non-recyclable plastics then sent to a local energy recovery facility, where plastics are converted into valuable energy resources.

What can be collected in a Hefty® EnergyBag™ orange bag

A lot! This is what I’m thrilled about. As a family with young kids, we have more than our fair share of plastic wrappers and waste that previously we just threw away.

Here’s what can be put in a Hefty® EnergyBag™ orange bag:

– Potato chip bags and other snack bags
– Candy wrappers
– Granola bar and energy bar wrappers
– Plastic and foam cups, plates and bowls
– Shredded cheese packages
– Salad bags
– Plastic pet food bags
– Frozen fruit & vegetable bags
– Pudding cups
– Stand-up pouches
– Squeezable baby food pouches
– Foam to-go boxes
– Packing peanuts
– Plastic utensils
– Plastic straws and stirrers
– Cake mix liners and other dry powder mix liners
– Plastic toothpaste tubes
– Condiment packets
– All other non-recycled plastic bags

Why use a Hefty® EnergyBag™?

– The big thing for me is that this program reduces landfill waste – by the tons. I’ve been throwing all of this stuff away.

– It also creates more local energy resources and less fossil energy dependence.

– It converts non-recycled plastics into alternative energy, which can be used to power businesses, cars and homes.

– It makes things super easy for you. The non-recycled plastics are collected at curbside along with your normal hauler pick up.

– It improves the quality of other recycling streams/channels.

Where can you find these bags?

That was a big question on my blog last year. The program began just in Omaha, and now it’s grown to Louisville, Ralston, Papillion and La Vista, Neb. In May, it should start in Bellevue. Currently, the bags can be purchased locally at participating Hy-Vee stores:

– 5150 Center St.

– 14591 Stony Brook Blvd.

– 8809 W. Center Road

– 7910 Cass St.

– 9707 Q St.

– 747 N. 132nd St.

– 17810 Welch Plaza

– 1000 S. 178th St.

– 11650 S. 73rd St.

– 10808 Fort St.

– 3410 N. 156th St.

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