Living a Zero Waste Life: Theory and Practice

We bet this is not your first time hearing about zero waste. Much like every other sustainable and ethical trend, zero waste living is also getting a lot of press. But it is quite easy to get lost in all the noise and forget the sight of the real objective. 

This blog is a timely reminder that fighting climate change is a long haul, and knowing each concept for what they clearly stand will only help us all be better and do better!

What is Zero Waste?

The real answer is a lot more complex, but in short, the idea is that nothing ends up in the landfill. The process is more than just equating plastic with bad; it redefines the way we view our resources flowing into waste and back again.

The term dates back (probably) to the 1970s and was coined (very likely) by chemist Dr. Paul Palmer. The idea has two sides.

1. The practical dealing with our actions as consumers and individuals 
2.  The conceptual,  involving systematic design and function.

And the planet's future will depend on both and how they are balanced.

Living a Zero Waste Life: In Practice

1. The 4 R’s of Zero Waste Living

The holy grail of sustainable living, the 4 R’s, refers to the order of reducing waste to help live a low-waste lifestyle. These are:

·       Refusing to use what you do not need. For example, coffee cups, single-use plastic bags, plastic razors, etc., are things that you hardly need and are bad for the environment.

·       Reduce buying things that you do not need.

·       Reuse things by repurposing them or buying secondhand.

·       Recycle those items that the first three steps cannot eliminate.

2. Recycling is Not Zero Waste, Always

Recycling helps but is not always the best way to live a zero-waste lifestyle. The former is mostly about managing and reducing garbage.  The latter intends to fully eliminate waste (not just the physical trash in landfills). So, though we should be recycling, our aim has to remove waste completely. And the first 3 R’s are the best way to do it.

3. Conscious Consumerism

You will need stuff, but it is important that you use just as much as you need. Also, use products made from materials that produce no waste as well as contribute to fair wages for the makers. 

Living a Zero Waste Life: In Theory

The theoretical part is important as well because the question is not just about choosing cotton or nylon as individuals; there is a bigger picture. And theory offers holistic solutions which are beyond our scope as individual consumers.

   1. A Cyclical and Circular Economy

In the linear system of production and consumption,  products are easily disposed of at the end of the line. This is also known as “cradle to grave”. Zero waste philosophy makes it circular so that everything is reused and made into something new. Disposed items are integrated to create a closed-loop system with waste production getting slowly phased out. 

Products must be designed in a way that makes it easier to reuse them. For this, the industries must move from synthetic to organic, cheap to lasting and disposable to reusable.

   2. More than The Individual

Zero waste and sustainable living, to become a reality, needs systemic changes. There must be rules and regulations to uphold the manufacturers’ responsibility and reform both production and consumption.

If you think whether your individual acts even matter, then know that it does! Excessive production is hurting our planet, and as consumers, you have the power to impact the industry positively. If you do not use disposable products, then one day, they’ll stop producing them. So, zero waste is the need of the hour, and with all of us coming together, we can definitely achieve it!

You can also read our other article: Circular Economy: Reimagining A New World Order

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