WHY ZERO WASTE
Zero waste is a goal with the intention of having a positive impact on the planet and making a conscious effort to make better choices. Living a zero-waste lifestyle means you strive to use as little single-use plastic as possible, instead opting for sustainable and reusable alternatives. In short, it means you send as little as possible to landfills, which can damage the environment and natural habitat around them. Replacing as much as possible with reusable products includes everything from clothing, to food and drink packaging, to hygiene products, either more sustainable or plastic free, which will ultimately protect the environment, benefit communities and support a circular economy.
FIVE PRINCIPLES OF ZERO-WASTE
Listed in order of importance
Refuse to buy things with lots of packaging
Don’t buy things you don’t really need
REFUSE
REDUCE
Repurpose worn out items, shop for used goods, and purchase reusable products like steel water bottles
REUSE
Up to 80 percent of waste by weight is organic. But this rarely decomposes in landfills
COMPOST
It still takes some energy and resources to recycle, but it’s better than sending stuff to the landfill or allowing it to become litter
