“What Is ZERO WASTE?”
What is Zero Waste and how can we achieve it..
To live zero waste is to stop or drastically reduce the amount of products that get sent to landfill and recycling. This is achievable we just need to have a knowledge and understanding of the 7 R’s, and have compassion for our planet. If we can make REFUSE our first thought as much as possible we can make a difference.
What are the 7 R’s…
Refuse. Reduce. Reuse. Repair. Rehome. Recycle. Rot. This is how we can achieve zero waste. Try to live by this. Stop and think before you throw away.
Refuse to be a part of the problem. Confidently refuse over-packaged products and single use plastics.
Reduce what you don’t need, simplify your life, donate unused items. Then reduce your carbon footprint in other areas too.
Reuse bags, jars, bottles, clothes; give everything a new lease of life.
Repair, mend, darn. Think before you throw items away, can this be fixed.
Rehome, can I give this to someone who might want it, give to charity shops, school, there is always someone who loves your junk.
Recycle what can’t be refused, reduced or reused.
Rot your organic materials, composting is nature’s natural process of recycling.
Whatever cant be refused, reduced, reused, repaired, rehomed, recycled or composted ends up in landfill!
Our aim is to send nothing to landfill…
If we try to refuse as much as we can, and then follow the other 6 R’s which in turn means we will send as little to be recycled as possible we will be able to achieve a planet where our first thought is not to recycle. Eventually we will end up with planet that has no landfill. That is the aim of ZERO WASTE.
Why REFUSE over RECYCLING…
The misconception of the word recycling is that it is ok if we recycle , recycling is just a distraction for our ever growing waste problem. Most items that we think we are recycling are actually downcycled as there is no regulations in place for manufacturers and consumers to follow, most of the labels are so confusing people just don’t know what to do it each item. Downcycling is where materials are broken down into unrecyclable lesser products. Most of the time a plastic item gets ‘recycled’ it is being broken down to create a new product that becomes unrecyclable both chemically and economically, which will most probably be destined for landfill which you was trying to avoid in the first place. The message in the zero waste world is to recycle when necessary but if you follow the 5 R’s before it, your recycle pile will be considerably smaller.
Can i make a difference…yes you can, we all can…
Just by making a few day to day changes and thinking of your 7R’s will make a massive difference to our Planet. Being as ZERO WASTE as you can is about taking responsibility for what YOU do and looking and the bigger effect that your actions have, it is not about being perfect. It is about helping our Planet to heal, our Oceans to be safe for the habitants of it and making sure our Planet will be here in a healthy way for many many generations to come.