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“…contamination rates have in many ways become the most important metric in the recycling sector.” — Waste Dive Recycling contamination is costing businesses millions. It is one of the biggest hidden costs in commercial waste management. Across the U.S., an estimated 25% of all recyclables are contaminated, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That means

Every facility should plan to conduct a commercial waste audit at least once a year. This guide will walk you through the essential steps of planning a waste audit, and explain what a waste audit entails, what you should expect, and what is  needed to get actionable data. Benefits of a Waste Audit for Strategic

Great Forest joined sustainability and green building professionals from around the world at the 2025 Greenbuild Conference & Expo in November to discuss zero waste and the future of the built environment. With roughly 15,000 attendees and more than 100 sessions, this year’s event highlighted the momentum driving the green building movement forward. At What’s

Recycling signs and bin labels can make or break your waste and recycling program. Clear signage = less contamination and waste, which usually means more savings. Confusing instructions and signs with recycling symbols that are hard to read, or posted in the wrong places, could drive your diversion rate down and your waste costs up.

As one of the largest landlords in the country, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is setting a strong example for how to reduce waste in public buildings across the nation. It is achieving this with one key tool: waste audits. For the GSA, waste audits are central to effective waste management. They are key

Here is everything you need to know about how New York’s Executive Order 22 affects waste management and how affected entities can meet EO 22 goals. What is New York’s Executive Order 22 (EO 22)? In 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed Executive Order 22: Leading by Example: Directing State Agencies to Adopt a

How Expert Waste Brokerage Service Can Save Your Business Time, Money and Avoid Headaches Working with a waste broker (also known as a trash broker, garbage broker or waste management broker) is like having a waste management expert on your team with specialized understanding of the ins and outs of the complex commercial waste removal

Update: LEED v5 was ratified by members of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on March 28, 2025.  What is LEED v5: The Evolution of LEED LEED v5, as the name suggests, is the fifth update to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building standard released by the U.S. Green Building Council

Great Forest partnered with this leading health insurance corporation to create a strategic roadmap for achieving TRUE Zero Waste certification at two of their major campuses. Through a comprehensive TRUE Feasibility Assessment, we evaluated all 81 potential credits across 16 categories, giving the corporation a clear plan and actionable timeline to drive waste reduction, diversion,

When organizations invest in sustainability but still fail to reach their goals, it is often because they are missing one crucial ingredient–stakeholder and tenant engagement. At Great Forest, our 30+ years of experience has shown us that educating people to become active participants and champions in your sustainability journey is the secret to success.  No