The traditional center of zero waste: deciding what to buy, and trying to buy less.
Zero waste is first and foremost interested in reducing household trash and recycling, the kind of stuff that makes up packaging. Why? Trash ends up in landfills or incinerators, leaking chemicals into our waterways or expelling them as noxious gases into the air. Typical recycling programs have an incomplete retrieval rate, contrary to popular opinion, and plastic recycling continually downgrades the material until no more recycling is possible. Hardly a long-term solution.
By buying products without packaging, in bulk, or secondhand, we can greatly reduce the amount of waste in our household bins. We can also do our research before making a big purchase, distinguishing between products that are demonstrably durable and products that will require replacements sooner rather than later.
Practical steps:
1. Bring your own packaging whenever possible: cloth bags for produce and bulk goods, a mug or a thermos for drinks, containers for leftovers or unexpected treats.
2. Turn down disposable goods in restaurants and stores: no to the extra bag, no to the paper napkin, yes to the reusable mug in the coffee shop.
3. Look for secondhand goods whenever possible: scour thrift stores in your area and online marketplaces for used goods. Bonus: you’ll save money while you shed waste.
Resources
Read: The zero waste movement sprung out of blogs, Tumblrs, and WordPress sites just like this one, as people began to realize that high-consumption lifestyles were destroying the planet and generating more stress than contentment. Authors of prominent zero waste sites have published some books in past years, but much of zero waste thought is still only available on blogs, and accessible only via an internet connection.
A sampling of zero waste blogs is provided below, but with the understanding: blogs and domain names are not static, so you might find a broken link below. If that’s the case, searching “zero waste blog” in the search engine of your choice will turn up many results. As with any blog promoting a particular lifestyle, it’s up to you to discern practices that will work in your own life from practices that seem impossible or too good to be true. The good thing about bloggers is that they typically write for relatively small audiences – reach out to the writer of a blog you find if something doesn’t seem right or you want to know more. Chances are, you’ll hear back.
Zero Waste Home, written by Bea Johnson, who is frequently considered one of the earliest adopters of a (modern) zero waste lifestyle
Zero-Waste Chef, written by San Francisco-based Anne Marie and focused on zero waste in the kitchen
Going Zero Waste, written by Kathryn Kellogg, who was prompted to reduce plastic waste in her life because of a health scare
Paris to Go, written by formerly Paris-based blogger Ariana
Trash is for Tossers, written by NYC-based Lauren Singer
And lastly, the Instagram feed of zero waster Shia Su: _wastelandrebel_.
The link between minimalism, a movement to consume and own only what’s necessary, and zero waste is hard not to notice. We’ve included some options to learn more about minimalism (including the tiny house movement) below, but another good place to start is the blog Reading my Tea Leaves, written by Erin Boyle and focused on living simply and joyfully. You might also look into Marie Kondo’s “spark joy” method, if you haven’t already, and look for the term “minimalism” in your local library’s catalog.
Watch: “Tiny: A Story About Living Small” documents the construction of a tiny house and explores the impulse to simplify.
Search: Consumer Reports can help you buy durable, safe products that have been lab-tested for best results. Individual product ratings are available to subscribers and through public libraries; nonsubscribers can access buying guides and other information for consumers.
Listen: Minimalist podcasts abound, but you might give “minimal-ish: realistic minimalism” a try. Produced by freelancer/stay-at-home mom Desirae Endres, minimal-ish started in 2018 and offers a fresh, up-to-date take on zero waste practices. If you’re looking for something more traditional, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus are among the original minimalists, having lived minimally and written about the experience since 2009. Their podcast, “The Minimalists Podcast,” is tried and true (not to mention immensely popular).
Try: Buy nothing for a month. (Except essentials.)
HOW-TO ZERO WASTE 