Every product reaches the end of its useful life, but some products are designed with end-of-life in mind.
From clothing to household goods, some products are easy to dispose of responsibly. Clothing can be made of organic material, so it can be safely composted once it’s no longer wearable. Some companies have end-of-life guarantees, which mean they take their products back and recycle them responsibly once you’re done with them. And other products are so well-made that their value remains through generations: these products can often be resold or traded through online marketplaces. Whatever the method, zero waste considers the dumpster the very last resort for products that you no longer want.
Practical steps:
1. Start a compost bin. If you can’t keep it in a space outside, ask your officials about a city-sponsored program, look for community gardens that might welcome your food waste, or ask friends with backyards if they would consider accepting it. It doesn’t need to be smelly or worm-filled – keep your compost in a container in the fridge between emptying for best odor (and pest) control.
2. Donate unwanted items to organizations that will use them: old blankets and towels can go to the humane society, old winter wear to the local shelter, books to the library.
3. Keep tabs on what ends up in your trash and recycling bins, and set a time to think through how some of the waste could be eliminated. Once you know what generates the most trash in your house, it’s easier to look for alternatives around town.
Resources
Read: The first step to disposing of products in an eco-friendly manner is learning about composting: how to manage a compost pile, what to put in it, and how to fend off interested critters. Composting resources are everywhere, but before we dig in, it’s important to note: the more “natural” the materials you buy, the more readily they’ll break down when you’re through with them. Looking for materials like cotton, wool, silk, and hemp when you’re buying clothing, bedding, or other fabrics will allow you to dispose of them in your own backyard when the time comes.
Let’s get to it: if you’re looking in the library, 631.875 is where you’ll find the dirt on compost. We recommend Rebecca Louie’s Compost City: Practical Composting Know-How For Small Space Living (2015, Roost Books) if you want to digest your information in book form. If you want to browse a guide online, try the Environmental Protection Agency’s guide to composting at home. There’s a lot of compost-related information out there, so if you’re stuck on a question, or something is producing a funny smell, the answer is likely a well-crafted search query away. Searching “compost q&as” can get you the answers to some of compost’s most frequent challenges.
But sometimes the things we buy aren’t made out of compostable materials. Materials like glass, wood, and metal are, of course, natural, and would break down given enough time, but we generally want to conserve or reclaim the energy that went into their production before we let them degrade in the compost pile. That can happen through trading items on sites like Freecycle or through groups sponsored by the Buy Nothing Project. You can also sell items that retain value, of course, on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or by placing posters around town. Donating items is also usually an option: ask at your favorite nonprofit organizations about donation needs, or get in touch with shelters or emergency service sites in your area. If the issue is hard-to-recycle packaging, you could look into TerraCycle. And if you have an artistic nature, try extending it towards your waste: creative people manage to repurpose their waste in beautiful ways. Some creative waste repurposing is captured in the blog Unconsumption, and you can see more in this 2016 article from Time, 13 Artists Who Turned Ocean Trash Into Amazing Art.
Of course, the goal is zero waste, so why even talk about disposal? The truth is zero waste is about approaching zero, or making smaller and smaller amounts of trash, as we are able and willing. It’s not about being perfect. We will always have to dispose of something, whether the end of a cucumber or a sweater worn beyond return, and these guidelines can help us do so responsibly.
Watch: Agnès Varda’s film, “The Gleaners and I,” explores practices of repurposing waste from agricultural fields, grocery stores, and other areas of life.
Search: Freecycle is a social network on which neighbors post offers of and requests for used goods. Everything on the site must be offered freely, and it’s a first come, first serve system.
Listen: Unwasted: The Podcast is devoted to tales about scraps, upcycling, and avoiding food waste however possible. Though production began only this year, Unwasted is an offshoot of Imperfect Foods, a grocery delivery service founded in 2015. Imperfect Foods reroutes food deemed cosmetically unfit for the grocery store from the dumpster to your kitchen, which cuts down on the massive amounts of water, money, and crops wasted because of grocery store policies and standards.
Try: Start a compost bin at home. If you already compost, teach your skill to your friends!
HOW-TO ZERO WASTE 