| There is a somewhat new environmental concept | | | | explored at length in a landmark report published |
| coming into the mainstream these days. It's called | | | | in the summer of 2008 entitled Stop Trashing the |
| "Zero Waste." Zero waste expands on traditional | | | | Climate. Written by staffers at non-profit |
| recycling and is the idea that we should be | | | | advocacy groups the Institute for Local |
| designing our waste streams to gradually | | | | Self-Reliance, Eco-Cycle, and Gaia, Stop Trashing |
| disappear. Besides curbside and office recycling, | | | | the Climate reports that setting a national goal of |
| zero waste advocates call for reusable packaging, | | | | 1% reduction of waste per year would be the |
| recyclable products that can be sent back to | | | | equivalent of eliminating one-fifth of the coal fired |
| producers, and consumer items that can be | | | | power plants in the United States by 2050. |
| upgraded rather than replaced. | | | | According to this report, a serious zero waste |
| Many zero waste options are already in use by a | | | | effort can reduce overall greenhouse gas |
| huge portion of the U.S. population. Take online | | | | emissions by almost 37% across all sectors of |
| music. If you download the latest Britney Speers | | | | the U.S. economy. The most important thing to |
| album or the soundtrack to "Slumdog Millionaire," | | | | understand here is that for recycling and |
| you're directly contributing to zero waste. No | | | | composting and other forms of waste |
| more jewel box packaging, no more | | | | minimization, the technology is available now. Most |
| transportation costs, no requirement for the | | | | of these measures, in fact, are extremely simple. |
| complex CD manufacturing process. The same | | | | They just require businesses, institutions and |
| principle can be found with online software | | | | municipal governments to re-tool and re-focus. |
| upgrades. Taking a homemade lunch to work | | | | Indeed, local governments around North America |
| rather than going to McDonalds is also a zero | | | | are making the commitment to zero waste |
| waste opportunity. Obviously electronic publications | | | | through executive orders and even legislation. |
| reduce the environmental impact of the printed | | | | Boulder, CO, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, Toronto, |
| world. And using cloth bags while grocery shopping | | | | and Halifax, Nova Scotia have all embraced zero |
| is now becoming very common. | | | | waste as communities. Principles include |
| The real issue that zero waste gets at is not | | | | investment and support for recycling, composting, |
| saving landfill space or even natural resources. | | | | reuse businesses, green design, and limitations on |
| Zero waste advocates point out that reduced | | | | packaging. Zero waste communities see that the |
| waste translates into reduced energy | | | | key to success is measuring waste reduction and |
| requirements; and reduced energy requirements | | | | gradually building towards elimination of waste |
| mean fewer emissions of carbon dioxide and | | | | altogether. |
| other greenhouse gases. In short, zero waste is | | | | Is it possible to completely eliminate all waste |
| one of the keys to solving the global warming | | | | from a complex, industrial society? Only time will |
| problem. | | | | tell. If you don't set goals that you want to |
| The long-term benefits of zero waste are | | | | achieve, how can succeed at anything? |