Zero Waste

What is Zero Waste?

“Zero Waste is the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.” - Zero Waste International Alliance

The 7 R’s

Refuse

The essential first R that endeavors to prevent waste altogether. While some waste is unavoidable, there are many consumer convenience wastes that are easily avoidable with a bit of forethought.

Examples: refuse plastic bags at the grocery store, refuse a straw in your drink, refuse your receipt, refuse unnecessary condiment packets in your to-go meal, etc.

ReDESIGN

This R refers to the process of looking critically and creatively at a process or product and making changes to the overall design to prevent or significantly reduce waste from occurring.

Examples: Starbucks redesigning their lids so that straws are no longer needed; eliminating the cardboard inserts in a paperboard six pack of beer; switching from individually packaged shampoo to bulk dispensers in hotels.

Reduce

Reduce is the first of the classic R’s. If you cannot outright avoid a wasteful product, reduce how much and how often you consume it.

Examples: Make your own coffee instead of ordering it from a coffee shop in a to-go cup, buy in bulk instead of individually wrapped packages, order a smaller portion size at a restaurant, etc.

Reuse

Another of the classic 3 R’s. After you have refused and reduced, the next best option is to extend the life of products through repair and reuse.

Examples: refilling a plastic water bottle, refurbishing old electronics, shopping at second-hand stores or using online marketplaces for household goods and clothing, donating food to pantries.

Repurpose

Repurposing is creatively extending the life of a product by transforming it into something valuable and different that fulfills a new purpose.

Examples: Repurposing or upcycling can be as simple as using plastic bottles as bird feeders, turning an old door into a coffee table top, or a wine barrel into a barstool. Companies can repurpose durable industrial materials like vinyl signs into consumer goods like hand bags. Entire buildings can be repurposed too – i.e. old barns can be wedding venues.

Recycle

The most well-known of the classic 3 R’s. Recycling is the process of collecting, sorting, cleaning, and processing materials into feedstock for new materials to be manufactured. It is a great option when all other R’s (refuse, reduce, reuse, and repurpose) have been exhausted. On the residential level, recycling could be available in your community via a curbside program, public drop off sites, or takeback programs for special goods. On the commercial and industrial scale, companies contract with private recycling haulers.

Remember that not all items are readily recyclable - educate yourself on what your local programs accept. Wish-cycling has become a problem – so when in doubt, throw it out! To properly prepare your recyclables, ensure they are clean, empty, and dry.

Examples: Just looking at plastic - PET bottles become rPET (recycledPET), but more often than not are downcycled into textiles & carpeting, flower pots and agricultural piping are both made from recycled plastic, and more and more consumer products have PCR (post-consumer resin) content.

Re-Earth

Re-Earth refers to the process of composting organic materials like food and yard waste in a controlled environment for ultimate use as a soil conditioner or fertilizer. Composting is a great way to nourish & replenish nutrient-depleted soil and keep greenhouse gas emitting organics out of the landfill.

As a household or business, you can compost in your backyard, set up a vermicompost system, or subscribe to curbside pick-up services, where available. Yard waste is banned from landfills and most cities offer yard waste and leaf collection to residents, while food scrap collection services are more limited.

Example: Check out this video for the Commercial Food Composting Program in Indiana.

 

Zero Waste Videos

• Bea Johnson “Two adults, two kids, zero waste”
• TEDx Talks “Why I Live a Zero Waste Life”
• How This Japanese Town Produces No Trash
• How San Francisco is Becoming a Zero Waste City
• Racing to Zero

 

Suggested Readings

• Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste by Bea Johnson
• The Zero-Waste Lifestyle: Live Well by Throwing Away Less by Amy Korst
• The Zero Waste Solution: Untrashing the Planet One Community at a Time by Paul Connett
• Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by Michael Braungart
• The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability - Designing for Abundance by William McDonough and Michael Braungart

 

Zero Waste Blogs

There are many people who have already gone zero waste and have documented their journeys for other people to learn from. Below are links to blogs that provide extensive information on how to get started on your zero waste journey.

• Green Indy Blog
• Trash is for Tossers
• Going Zero Waste
• Litterless
• The Zero Waste Collective
• Zero Waste Home