“Zero Waste” Makes Something Out of Nothing

by Beth Buczynski

How many times a week do you take out the trash?

If you recycle your trash or compost your organic waste, you will notice a dramatic decrease in the amount of discarded trash generated by your household. But achieving zero waste is about more than just recycling and composting.

Zero waste is an eco-conscious concept that involves viewing waste not as useless trash, but as a resource that can create jobs through collection and recycling, open up new financial opportunities for resellers, and most importantly, act as a raw material for the creation of new products. Here’s how the Institute for Local Self-Reliance defines it:

"Zero waste is a philosophy and a design principle for the 21st Century; it is not simply about putting an end to landfilling. Aiming for zero waste is not an end-of-pipe solution. That is why it heralds fundamental change. Aiming for zero waste means designing products and packaging with reuse and recycling in mind. It means ending subsidies for wasting. It means closing the gap between landfill prices and their true costs. It means making manufacturers take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products and packaging. Zero waste efforts, just like recycling efforts before, will change the face of solid waste management in the future. Instead of managing wastes, we will manage resources and strive to eliminate waste."

Living a zero waste lifestyle means we must be more mindful of the things we buy and use. Instead of buying first, and wondering how to dispose of it later, look for products that have multiple uses or things that can be upcycled into products with more or equal value. It’s not enough to just reuse a box or bag a couple of times before dumping it into the recycling bin to become someone else’s problem.

In a society that’s always looked the other way when it comes to wasted energy, materials, and money, achieving zero waste won’t be easy. But it isn’t impossible. “Our concept of eco-effectiveness means working on the right things — on the right products and services and systems — instead of making the wrong things less bad,” wrote William McDonough, in the ground-breaking book, Cradle to Cradle, Remaking the Way We Make Things.

Instead of resigning ourselves to the notion that all products will eventually wear out and get thrown away (cradle-to-grave), McDonough and his co-author Michael Braungart say we should base our designs on the understanding that waste does not exist. The by-product of one process should be an essential element of another (cradle-to-cradle).

How are we to implement zero waste in our own homes and businesses?

• The first step to eliminating waste is to evaluate what you throw away.

Take a peek inside the trash bag before you haul it to the curb. Chances are you’re tossing the same handful or items or types of packaging over and over. Identify those that can be replaced with reusable or recyclable versions and you’ll have eliminated even more waste, and probably saved yourself some money.

• The second step is recycling items that you can’t reuse or donate.

Your recycling bin should be much larger than your trash can. Take special care with electronics, batteries, and white goods (refrigerators, washers, dryers, etc.) as they contain hazardous elements that make them difficult to recycle. Don’t just set them by the curb and hope for the best. Take the time to find a service that will dispose of them responsibly. (Eco-Thrift located on Howes Street in Fort Collins accepts obsolete and non-working electronics for responsible recycling for a nominal fee. Visit www.eco-thrift.com to learn more.)

• The third step is composting all organic waste.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, yard trimmings and food residuals make up 23 percent of the total U.S. waste stream. Composting diverts this valuable organic material from the landfill and uses it to produce a rich organic fertilizer and valuable soil amendment instead. Check out www.composting101.com to learn how to get started.

The most important thing to remember about living a zero waste lifestyle is that it takes time. It’s impossible to eliminate all waste overnight, and for some, it may not be possible at all. Keep in mind that zero waste is a goal, and becoming more mindful about what we buy and how we will dispose of it is the journey that gets us closer to achieving it. Tackle the most obvious and unnecessary types of waste first, and the rest will follow.

Beth Buczynski is a freelance writer, avid recycler and amateur gardener with a secret dream of living off the grid. <bethbot52@gmail.com>.