Low Waste and Individual/Collective Action

What’s the difference between low waste living and zero waste? The zero-waste lifestyle has one simple goal, produce NO waste. That’s virtually impossible to achieve in our society where everything is based on consumption rather than reduction. It’s why we prefer the term low waste, it’s more attainable for most and it allows the individual to slow down and take stock of the trash they produce.

The fast fashion industry creates inexpensive clothing to keep up with rapidly changing trends. Many brands in the fast fashion industry use cheap labor to produce garments, which often leads to the exploitation of workers and the environment. Fast fashion companies tend to target workers in low-income areas who have limited alternatives for employment. As a result, people in low-income areas are more likely to tolerate the poor, exploitative labor conditions that are prevalent in fast fashion. Microfibers and waste are often byproducts of fast fashion, contributing to water pollution and food chain disruptions, which disproportionately affect impoverished areas. Several alternatives to fast fashion can make consumers’ wardrobes more ethical and sustainable, reducing global poverty at the same time.

Fast fashion is clothing that is made fast, cheap, and with little consideration. This type of fashion has been around for decades but its popularity has grown exponentially in the last decade due to improved technologies like mass production printing machines which allow companies to produce more garments at a lower cost than ever before. If this means creating disposable pieces made from synthetic materials which do not last as long as natural fabrics like organic cotton, so be it.

Consider the many elements (literally) that went into making it. Then have a think about what will happen once it no longer powers on, becomes annoyingly glitchy, or simply gets tossed aside for the latest and greatest model.

It’s difficult to not get caught up in the excitement of new technology. Compared with even just a decade ago, tech has come a long way (anyone else actually remember the not-too-distant days of the Nokia brick?!).

But in all the excitement of what’s new, it’s important to not forget about the old.

Have you ever left spaghetti in plastic tupperware?

After a couple of hours the plastic is tinged red where the sauce has leached into the walls?

The reverse happens as well. When you store food in plastic, especially if it’s heated, this plastic wall will leach into your food.

“Greenwashing” is a form of misinformation often used to entice an aspiring green consumer. Companies promising to be sustainable, biodegradable, or environmentally conscious sometimes fail to meet the promises they make to consumers.

“It’s basically just a form of lying,” says Ellis Jones, a sociologist who studies greenwashing at the College of the Holy Cross.

As millions of Americans prepare to spend billions of dollars on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, greenwashing experts provides tips for consumers who want to spend their money with businesses they trust.

Since the introduction of the EPA’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle campaign, many have adopted recyclable waste management systems, are remembering to bring reusable bags on their grocery trips as more cities adopt plastic bag bans, and are becoming aware of their own ecological footprint. But as this great Footprint Calculator released by the Earth Day Network shows, we can always do more to consume less. Plus, by re-using items in your home, you’ll save money.

Buying something - usually packed in single use plastic - or using aluminium foil/plastic wrap creates more waste that cannot be easily reused or disintegrated.

It is easy to see that fresh water is a scarce commodity. And in a scenario where the world population is increasing, it is more urgent that everyone behaves sustainably, avoiding any form of waste and helping the planet.

In Europe, each person uses on average around 144 litres of fresh water every day in their homes, which is almost three times more than the established by the European Environment Agency for basic human needs, and enough to fill around 570 cups of water. So that means there’s incredible amounts of water being wasted in households.

Knowing the main sources of water waste involved, will make it easier for you to start saving.

According to the 5 R’s, four actions should be taken, if possible, prior to ‘recycling’: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, and then recycle. Incorporating this methodology into your business’ waste reduction and recycling efforts will minimize landfill waste and help take your recycling program to the next level. In this post, we explain each of the 5 R’s and the benefits of putting them into practice at your business.

Applying the 5 R’s to your business’ waste management and recycling strategies can positively impact the outcome of your program by significantly reducing the amount of waste your business generates. In the 5 R’s hierarchy, remember to treat recycling as a last resort after attempting to refuse, reduce, reuse, or repurpose.

The ecological footprint is an environmental sustainability indicator that measures the impact of human activity on the planet. Put simply, it measures the quantity of resources needed to sustain people and the economy, both in terms of production, consumption, and the waste these activities produce. The unit of measure is a global hectare (gha), that represents the global production and assimilation of waste provided by one hectare of productive land and water, each year.

To avoid exhausting the planet’s resources, the ecological footprint should be equal to or less to the bio-capacity of the planet, ergo, the ability to regenerate its natural resources. But that’s not always what happens.

In 2022, the per capita ecological footprint of Portugal was 4.55 gha, while the per capita bio-capacity was just 1.29 gha. In other words, consumption of natural resources was much higher than its regeneration capacity.

The key difference between the zero waste and low impact movement is what they focus on. The zero waste movement focuses on waste creation, while the low impact movement deals with the entire ecological footprint.

The correct answer is walking, but this may not be possible for everybody. The second best way to travel short destinations is by bike, since it doesn't use fossil fuel. The third best way is with a bus, because a lot of people can use it at the same time. The last option is to travel with a car - this way is the most pollution-heavy. If you have to travel with a car, try ride-sharing with friends and family if possible.

What’s the reason you decided to begin going zero waste?

Writing it down solidifies your resolve, giving you something to reference whenever you need motivation.

Perhaps it’s because you deeply care for the environment, want to save money, or avoid the toxins found in plastics. All those reasons are valid.

Reference this ‘why’ whenever you need some inspiration, or when the going gets tough. You got this!

Floss, cotton buds, makeup sponges… We create a surprising amount of waste during our self-care routines. And that’s why creating a zero waste bathroom is a great place to start on your sustainability journey.

When it comes to zero waste living, it’s best to change one area of your life at a time rather than diving all in. Start small–slow and steady wins the race.

Now, a zero waste bathroom may sound like an oxymoron. After all, it’s literally the place we go to when relieving ourselves of, well, waste.