Zero Waste on EVERY STREET!

Americans individually produce almost 4.5 lbs of waste per day, on average. Back in 1960, that number was 2.68 lbs a day but there was no such thing as recycling. Today, we have a combined recycling and composting rate of 34.7%, but that rate has stayed basically the same since 2010. We contribute to the problem of waste by our consumption of manufactured goods—i.e., all the stuff we buy. Some reasons to reduce our waste are: Save resources— Many discarded products, like precious metals, contain resources that are becoming scarce, and reusing them saves digging up even more; Save energy— Making new goods takes energy so it’s better to keep the old ones in use as long as possible; Save money— Get more use out of things you already own, rather than throwing them away and buying new; and Reduce amount of carbon going into the atmosphere— Rotting garbage often produces methane, a greenhouse gas 28 to 36 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Somethings we can do are:

Refuse: Just because it’s free, that doesn’t mean you need it.
Reduce: Enough is just the right amount.
Reuse, recycle, repurpose, and repair: Before you even think of throwing something away, consider how it could be used again.
Return to earth: Make your own compost. This is a great activity for anyone who loves to grow things and is ready to take care of their own compostable waste.
In Paul Hawken’s book Drawdown, reducing food waste is identified as #3 of 100 solutions for reducing global warming. That’s because food waste is responsible for adding 70.5 gigatons of CO2 into the atmosphere. When food goes into the bin, so does the energy, water, fertilizer and human-power used to grow it.
Plastic waste is everywhere – in the furthest reaches of the arctic, inside sea animals, even in the salt we eat. Buying, and using, less plastic is a worthy goal. Be especially mindful to try and stay clear of “shrink sleeve labels”, the kind that are on a lot of bottles these days. Shrink sleeve labels can interfere with the accuracy of automated sortation equipment, cannot be separated in the recycling process, and can contaminate or deteriorate the quality of recycled PET products. Measures are being taken to eliminate these, but while they are here, stay clear!
Look for biodegradable packaging such as cardboard and recyclable packaging such as aluminum or glass. Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy of making it from scratch, while recycling glass saves around 25%. Glass can be recycled again and again without losing its strength or purity—unlike other materials.

The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades, and so has its quality. That’s because clothing retailers have learned that the key to higher profitability is “fast fashion” – fashion trends that last a month and clothing that quickly comes apart at the seams. Fast fashion is having a negative impact on our environment, on garment workers, and on countries where donated clothing gets dumped. Do your best and reduce clothing waste -- look for places where you can get things repaired, buy used, and learn to mend.
Consider organizing a neighborhood Repair Café to create a culture of reuse: https://repaircafe.org/
Rather than disposables, get durable and reusable cups, drink cartons, napkins, plates and cutlery. You can even find foldable items you can take with you on the go in a purse, laptop bag, or glove compartment.