Less Waste

The zero waste lifestyle – what does it mean?

The zero waste lifestyle is trying to send nothing to landfill, and recycling as little as possible, too. This means refusing, reducing, reusing, re-purposing, rethinking and repairing. It means avoiding packaging, prioritising old over new, using what we have, embracing second-hand and sharing resources. Whilst the goal might be ‘zero’ the reality is that we live in a linear economy that doesn’t encourage this way of living, and there will always be things that slip through the net.

It is not about being perfect; it is about making better choices.

What living with less waste means to me

After giving up plastic in 2012, I realised that the only waste I was generating was the small amount of non-avoidable plastic, food waste and recycling. I began to wonder if I really needed a bin at all. Once I’d got my plastic-free habit down pat, I began to work on reducing my waste altogether.

It was only later that I heard of the zero waste movement, and I realised that was a pretty good description of how I was living my life.

Less waste, low waste, near-o waste or zero waste – whatever you call it, the goal is the same. To maximise resources, and throw less away.

I see single-use anything as a failure to value resources and make the most of materials. I see recycling as a last resort: it is always better to refuse, reduce, re-use and repair before recycling anything.

I still end up with stray napkins and the occasional paper bag, and I still recycle – I’m not perfect (but who is?)… However, I’m always thinking about my waste, refining my choices, and aspiring to do a little bit better next time.

Starting out with zero waste living

A first-timer’s guide to shopping at bulk stores

How I got rid of my bin

Zero waste living (a day in the life)

What does zero waste living look like?

For me, the zero waste lifestyle looks like this:

When it comes to ‘stuff’, first and foremost it is about making do.
It is about favouring second-hand over new, and valuing resources.
It is about refusing anything unnecessary.
It is about choosing products that are well-made and built to last, that can be repaired, and won’t end up in landfill once life-expired.
It is about choosing reusables over single-use items.
It is about asking questions.
It is about embracing creativity: thinking of solutions, problem-solving, and discovering new and better ways of doing things.
It means thinking about the end-life of a product before I take it and bring it home.

Is ‘zero’ waste actually possible?

For true zero waste, we need those who design products to rethink the materials they use, the way they use them and how they can be recovered for reuse.

We’re not there yet, but part of the zero waste lifestyle is supporting those doing the work to create new and better systems.

We might not be product designers and we might not be government ministers, but we can still support the good and call out the bad. We can make changes in our own lives, share what we can, and demand action from those with the power to make change.