As someone who writes about technology for a living, I didn't expect a garbage bin to be my favorite tech gadget of the year.

A San Diego-based company is taking aim at a common household nuisance—dirty, smelly trash cans—while addressing a larger environmental concern.

Japan's Kamikatsu, a town of 1,500, achieved an 80% recycling rate by embracing a radical zero-waste policy. Residents meticulously sort waste into 45 categories, with initiatives like the Kurukuru ...