Zeroing In On Zero Waste

The term “zero waste” is a popular term that is used to describe goals and aspirations of recyclers, municipalities and businesses trying to divert 90% or more of their waste from a landfill. Many people wonder if this is an attainable goal or if the term has simply become a phrase used to describe someone who has an interest in recycling in general.

Zero waste in itself is a loose term. With all of the products that are manufactured worldwide, the only way to personally achieve zero waste starts with completely rehabbing your life and daily habits. To make that commitment, one would have to give up long distance travel and invest in a really great bicycle. Gasoline in cars puts out emissions into the environment which is a bi-product (or waste) from the gasoline. Boats give off emissions. Planes give off emissions. Buses give off emissions. Bye bye travel. Hello bicycle!

So you are riding your bicycle to the farmer’s market where you have brought your own reusable shopping bags and glass jars for liquids and loose grains. You stop by your favorite farmer’s table and they are giving out samples of their sustainable honey that they have pre-portioned in tiny plastic containers. You REALLY want to try the honey but if you want to maintain your zero waste lifestyle you know that you can’t sample something that comes out of a plastic container because even if it ends up in a recycling basket it is contaminated with sticky honey residue and probably will have no choice but to end up in the landfill. You walk away disappointed that you cannot try the honey but you are exhilarated by the fact that you are standing your ground!

Not many people have the discipline to achieve zero waste status. You can imagine how hard it would be for cities and businesses to do with so many people to oversea. While some cities are starting to implement a tax on plastic bags in stores, they have no way of stopping people from paying for the convenience of what that plastic bag provides….

Zero waste is the unicorn of the recycling world. We imagine that it could exist even though no one has seen it in person.