What exactly is Zero Waste? How can I achieve it?
Officially by the Zero Waste International Alliance it is defined as
“The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.” [1]
Cities have created their own definitions and goals for zero waste.
The city of Los Angeles, CA has a plan to achieve zero waste by requiring radical changes in three areas: product creation (manufacturing and packaging), product use (use of sustainable, recycled and recyclable products), and product disposal (resource recovery or landfilling).
Austin, TX has the goal to divert 90% of waste from landfills and incinerators by 2040 using a "whole system" approach to evaluate and manage the flow of resources and waste created by their communities. By approving the Zero Waste Strategic Plan, the City Council established three major benchmark goals for achieving Zero Waste:
Reducing by 20 percent the per capita solid waste disposed to landfills by 2012,
Diverting 75 percent of solid waste from landfills and incinerators by 2020, and
Diverting 90 percent of solid waste from landfills and incinerators by 2040
Having clearly defined goals for zero waste is the best way to prove you have achieved your goal and gives you a benchmark to look to when the going gets hard. The best acronym for this is SMART
Specific-What will be accomplished? What actions will you take?
Measurable-What data will measure the goal? (e.g. Austin’s clearly defined reducing 20 percent per capita solid waste)
Achievable- Is the goal doable? Do you have the necessary skills and resources?
Relevant-How does the goal align with broader goals? Why is the result important?
Time Bound-What is the time frame for accomplishing the goal? (e.g. Austin wanted to reduce solid waste from landfills and incinerators by 2040)
[2]
Achieving Zero Waste
Using this template let’s define how an individual could realistically achieve zero waste.
The Initial Goal: I want to achieve Zero Waste
1. Specific
(What do you want to accomplish? Who needs to be included? When do you want to do this? Why is this a goal?)
I generate at least 3 tall trash bags of waste every week. (Roughly 30 gallons). I would like to minimize my carbon footprint and impact on the planet. Plastics and plastic derivatives contain BPA compounds and endocrine-disrupting additives which have been linked to neurological issues, hormone dysfunction, and cancers. A zero-waste lifestyle limits your exposure to toxins as it promotes more recyclable items like glass and metals, as well as biodegradable materials.[3]
I generate at least 3 tall trash bags of waste every week. (Roughly 30 gallons)
2. Measurable
(How can you measure progress and know if you’ve successfully met your goal?):
I can measure my progress based on the amount of trash bags or gallons of trash I dispose of each week. I think it would be best to create an accurate baseline. So this week (7/7-7/14 my trash day is on Thursday) I will track how much waste I am producing in gallons. From there I can establish a measurable goal to reduce that amount in increments. For example if my estimate of 30 gallons is accurate:
My goal will be to reduce to 20 gallons by 7/21/22
10 gallons by 7/28/22
5 gallons by 8/4/22
1 gallon by 8/11/22
.5 gallon by 8/18/22
0 gallons by 8/25/22
I will update these numbers after baseline is established.
reduce to 20 gallons by 7/21/22
10 gallons by 7/28/22
5 gallons by 8/4/22
1 gallon by 8/11/22
.5 gallon by 8/18/22
0 gallons by 8/25/22
3. Achievable
(Do you have the skills required to achieve the goal? If not, can you obtain them? What is the motivation for this goal? Is the amount of effort required on par with what the goal will achieve?):
I believe achieving this goal will require an incredible amount of self-discipline, research, and preparation. It may be easy to buy pre-packaged frozen meals and bags of bread but if I can summon the willpower I can meal prep and freeze meals ahead of time. It will also take a certain amount of lifestyle changes to not just buy anything I want whenever I want.
I think I need to establish some ground rules as well.
Rules
Donating items does not count towards waste
Composting food does not count towards waste and is encouraged
Recycling that leaves my house via garbage collection does count as waste
Recycling or upcycling an item into something new to extend the lifespan does not count as waste
Water and energy consumption will not be measured at this time
4. Relevant
(Why am I setting this goal now? Is it aligned with overall objectives?)
Why is this relevant to this site DIY with Kim?
As a crafty person I know I am capable of making something beautiful out of nothing. I can reuse items and turn them into beautiful pieces of decor. I can upcycle clothes that aren’t interesting to me anymore or no longer fit. I can turn old textiles into quilts and baskets and what-not. I hope to set an example for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint and potentially educate some as well.
5. Time-bound
(What’s the deadline and is it realistic?):
Going off the above reduction in gallons of waste I can set a goal to be completely zero waste by 9/1/22.
Works Cited
[1] “How Communities Have Defined Zero Waste.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 15 Nov. 2021, https://www.epa.gov/transforming-waste-tool/how-communities-have-defined-zero-waste.
[2] “How to Write SMART Goals: A Guide for Managers and Employees.” UCOP, 2016, https://www.ucop.edu/local-human-resources/.
[3] Vandenberg LN, Ehrlich S, Belcher SM, Ben-Jonathan N, Dolinoy DC, Hugo ER, Hunt PA, Newbold RR, Rubin BS, Salli KS, Soto AM, Wang H-S, vom Saal FS. Low dose effects of Bisphenol A: An integrated review of in vitro, laboratory animal and epidemiology studies. Endocrine Disruptors. 2013;1:e26490.
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