Electric is great if you commute a few miles in a city. For the real world it doesn't work. When they come up with an affordable rig that will pull 3 horses, a trailer, all the gear, plus a piggy back camper and go more than 100 miles, I'd be interested. I would do a diesel electric truck as well, if it was affordable. I would totally go electric, as you can get more and better power, but it is decades away from being viable for anything work related for the common man.
Now cordless tools, that's another story. there is little reason to plug in a power cord these days. Most of the guys I know are starting to be totally cordless. Even weedwhackers and blowers, though, for a commercial landscape company, cordless would be a huge pain.
As for what I throw away after I buy it, probably paint supplies the most. Rollers, brushes, screens, trays, etc. Costs more to clean a roller cover than it does to buy new ones. Cheap brushes get tossed, good brushes get cleaned.
We have a bottle bill here. Just went up to 10 cents a container. Good timing, as I have an entire utility room full that I paid 5 cents each for. Doubled my money, whoo-hoo. It definitely works here. Even if the original purchaser tosses it in the ditch, some one will pick it up and cash it in.