Zero Waste went from being nearly unheard of 20 years ago to transitioning into the mainstream today. In case you have not heard the term before – zero waste is concerned with limiting the production of solid waste, with the ultimate goal of sending nothing to the landfill.
In today’s article, let’s have a look back at recent history and discuss how the movement came to be. We will then also discuss the reasons why zero waste is becoming so popular – and why you may want to give it a try yourself. Lastly, we’ll address one common critique of zero waste: is it really so expensive?
The origins of zero waste: from Dr Daniel Knapp, through Bea Johnson, to mainstream
While zero waste still remains a new way of living (despite its arguable transition into mainstream most recently), it is part of a larger concept reaching back centuries: environmentalism. This overarching umbrella movement, dating back as far as ancient Rome, is concerned with preserving and restoring the environment.
Although the concept of limiting your waste production was not completely unheard of in the 20th century and before, it wasn’t until the 90s that the movement started forming after American doctor Daniel Knapp travelled to Australia for a series of talks with governmental bodies, organizations and citizens about options for minimizing waste.
Subsequently, the Australian Capital Territory government started promoting a plan aimed at reducing solid waste – ‘No Waste by 2010’. However, the term ‘zero waste’ was not heard until the year 2000 when the first-ever international zero waste conference was organized in New Zealand, followed by the founding of ZWIA: the Zero Waste International Alliance. The organization’s main aim was to set standards for governments, waste management and businesses, which will help the world transition from a linear to a circular, zero waste and plastic free economy.
As you can probably see, in this stage, zero waste wasn’t about individuals making a change – it was something discussed in board rooms, not over Instagram. Zero waste was mainly a concern of governments and organizations, up until Bea Johnson picked up the concept and turned organisational principles into guidelines every individual can apply in their home. She published her book A Zero Waste Home in 2013 and started the viral spread of the lifestyle in individual homes.
From there, social media and many YouTube channels and Instagram took over – and the movement grew as more and more people were sharing their tips on how to live a zero waste or low waste lifestyle. If it wasn’t for social media, it’s unlikely that zero waste wouldn’t come as far as it has. Nowadays, it has almost become mainstream – certainly at least among millennials and people with above-average household income.
Why zero waste?
What makes zero waste or low waste living such an appealing option for so many people? Let’s discuss some of its benefits. We’ll leave out the obvious reduction of solid waste and focus on overarching themes and consequences of this.
Carbon footprint reduction
By limiting the amount of stuff we use and bring into our homes, the zero waste lifestyle also reduces our carbon footprint substantially. A lot of energy, which often comes from fossil fuels where products are made, is needed to accommodate for our want for more. According to the EPA, 42% of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the production and use of goods – the very thing zero waste is working to limit.
Reducing litter and pollution
Whether it be in your local area or in remote parts of the world where plastic has now made an appearance (including the deepest parts of the ocean and the ice caps), living a zero waste or low waste lifestyle helps reduce the amount of pollution and litter in the environment.
Individual-level change
Zero waste, in the way that Bea Johnson presents it in her book, lets us take charge of our environmental impact. We do not rely on companies to make products a certain way – we take charge by voting with our dollar and making a choice about what we bring into our home. Especially for people who have felt like they are limited by what brands present them with in the past; this can be very empowering.
Community-building
Zero waste is restoring a sense of community into our society. Since the movement took off, community projects, small and independent zero waste stores, community gardens and many other initiatives have been popping up all around the world. There likely is one in your area – you may just not know about it!
Supporting the circular economy
The zero waste movement goes hand in hand with a circular economy – one where resources are designed with their environmental impact in mind and made to be reused or repurposed through their lifecycle. Just like zero waste, the circular economy has been gaining more attention recently for its environmental, economic and social benefits.
A common critique of the lifestyle – is it really so expensive?
One common critique of the zero waste lifestyle is how much money it costs to fully commit to the lifestyle. Let’s dissect this argument – is it really true? And how can we make the movement more accessible?
Thanks to its popularity on social media, zero waste has become a trend. And unfortunately, what is trendy tends to costs more money. That is why, aside from the higher costs associated with producing products in a way that does not harm the environment or its inhabitants, companies can charge higher prices just because many people will buy their products nonetheless. Therefore, you need a little more disposable income if you want to live the Instagram version of zero waste.
However, it is crucial to remember that at the core of the zero waste movement is an overall reduction in the amount of things we buy and reusing of what we already have. If you detach yourself from what zero waste is portrayed to look like online, it does not have to be expensive at all – in some cases, it can actually save money.
That being said, as many people still view the Instagram version of zero waste as the only option, we obviously need to do some work on making the movement more accessible to people with lower incomes – in particular, by familiarizing them with low or cost free solutions. Because, as The Zero Waste Chef says, we do not need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly – we need many people to do it imperfectly.
The post The Origins and Appeal of the Zero Waste Movement appeared first on Sapphire Green Earth.
