Mason Jar Maniacs

IS A ZERO WASTE LIFESTYLE REALLY POSSIBLE? OR IS IT JUST A MYTH?


The average American throws out approximately 4.4 pounds of trash per day. With this in mind, many Americans are joining the zero waste movement, a movement in which people are cutting out disposable packaging, making a commitment to reusable products. With a little bit of creativity, joining the zero-waste movement can be a lot easier than it sounds.

The zero-waste movement is a lifestyle where people aim to eliminate their trash output completely: meaning no plastic, no wrappers, and no garbage. Even items such as basic toiletries come in plastic packaging that can take hundreds or even thousands of years to decompose in landfills. For this reason, many people have switched to a zero-waste lifestyle. Although it may seem unrealistic, many everyday people have made zero-waste cleaning supplies, toiletries, makeup and much more. By reevaluating the way in which they approach the concept of anthropogenic waste, these leaders of the zero-waste movement are teaching the world that we all have the ability to make a difference in protecting our environment.

One popular zero waste Instagram blog, Zero Waste Collective, helps people that are new to the zero waste lifestyle slowly transition into a waste free life. The blog talks about how going into the zero waste lifestyle too fast will ultimately lead to failure from burnout. The blog emphasizes that it’s okay to not go completely zero waste, but that even small lifestyle adjustments have a huge impact on the environment.

Here are 4 easy ways that you can live a zero-waste lifestyle, or at least get started:
  1. Invest in reusable items: this means preparing your own meals (which saves a lot of money), carry your own BPA-free water bottle, having your own reusable utensils for those places with only plastic spoons/forks, and keeping mason jars for just about anything!
  2. Bring your own bags: although this is obvious, it’s sometimes an inconvenience. If you forget to bring your own bags, you can reuse the plastic or paper bags! You can use them as trash can liners, pets’ poop bags, or even use them as your reusable bags for next time!
  3. Buy in bulk: with the zero-waste movement becoming increasingly popular, bulk stores are popping up everywhere in order to help reduce single-use packaging consumption.
  4. Meal prep and grocery shopping: Smart meal prepping is calculating how much food you consume in one day or a week, and writing your grocery list accordingly. By doing this, you reduce the risk of buying too much food that could go bad in your fridge or pantry.

Many people would argue that the attention and detail a zero-waste lifestyle requires outweighs the environmental impact, and while it may seem like that, there are actually several benefits to adopting a zero waste lifestyle: it reduces our climate impact, conserves resources, minimizes pollution, creates jobs, and allows business to play a key role in the effort to save the environment.

Although a zero-waste lifestyle may be a little bit more time consuming, consider it an investment in our future. We put a little bit of time and effort towards it now, and we will be able to preserve the Earth for much longer.

Does the thought of adopting a zero-waste lifestyle interest you? What could you do to help cut down your contribution to the US' landfills?

Comments

Michelle Sun said…
I don't think it's possible to live a truly "zero-waste" lifestyle. Even buying in bulk or reusing plastic bags will produce some waste when the use for these items have expired or when the packaging has to be thrown away, and anybody who uses electricity produces waste. However, the mission behind the movement is remarkable; attempting to reduce your own carbon footprint not for personal gain, but for the betterment of the environment for all. Many of the methods listed to create "zero" waste seem easy to follow and replicate. For instance, strategies such as meal prep, reusable utensils, and repurposing plastic bags all seem easy to adopt. The zero-waste movement is a step away and above other green movements because of its universal benefit and its accessible lifestyle. I can see the movement growing well into the future, as reducing waste and decreasing our negative impact upon the environment becomes critically important.
May 4, 2019 at 3:00 PM
Anonymous said…
I think that a no waste lifestyle would be really difficult to maintain. However, I think that if consumers protest we can get companies to use less packaging therefore reducing the waste. The consumer has a lot of power to sway the industry with where we choose to invest our money. The idea is similar to how companies are switching to more recycled plastic in their products. Hopefully we are able to use less waste before the problem escalates even further.
May 4, 2019 at 11:03 PM
Anonymous said…
Despite the fact that I don't think a completely zero waste lifestyle would be practical for everyday consumers, the principles espoused by the movement and the methodologies implemented represent an easy lifestyle change that I think the majority of people could adopt. I think that I would be interested in adopting some of the ideas of reducing my own waste output such as reducing the amount of takeout (and subsequently styrofoam and plastic waste) by preparing my own meals, utilizing reusable grocery bags whenever possible, using reusable utensils, and in general acknowledging how I can cut down my own waste. I think that this movement holds a lot of potential due to the fact that not only is it adaptable to the lifestyles held by different people, but it both acknowledges how even a small alteration in one's lifestyle can tremendously reduce their waste output as well as the movement provides for the opportunity of educating people around the world and consumers about how their actions are detrimentally impacting the environment. I believe that the most vital part of this movement is in aiding consumers acknowledge how their actions will always have an impact and allow people to recognize that everyone can a play a role in reducing the anthropogenic impact on the environment.
May 5, 2019 at 10:38 AM
Anonymous said…
I agree with the statements that completely zero waste is nearly impossible because that would be inefficient for the world. Humans care more about efficiency than the consequences of the environment, but I do believe that the statements mentioned can have a huge impact on the world. Maybe though the process of protest these changes can be implemented into a global scale. Government regulation can have a huge impact and the voice of the people can influence these government decisions.
May 7, 2019 at 1:26 PM
Luke Farinelli said…
I think the whole minimalist/ zero-waste lifestyle is actually a really cool thing for people, but I can confidently say this is NOT for everyone. There has to be a lot of good circumstances to make this convenient enough to do sustainably. I'd totally give it a try but as a 17 year old, I don't have control over even some of the "basic" things you mentioned. Really admire the people who can pull this off successfully though.
May 7, 2019 at 8:17 PM
Anonymous said…
Although I understand the motivations behind a zero-waste lifestyle, the concept is truly unattainable. Depending on your location, the zero waste lifestyle can be difficult to achieve. Those who reside in rural or suburban areas need a car and cannot access zero-waste goods without the assistance of Amazon, which produces an extreme amount of waste. However, I recognize the benefits and sacrifices that most minimalists make in order to support their lifestyle. I admire their decision because it is increasingly difficult to do so.
May 8, 2019 at 8:42 AM
Anonymous said…
Though I do like the idea of zero waste produced per person, I think a small amount of waste, at the very least, is basically inevitable. It is possible to drastically reduce our waste by using reusable products for the items you listed, such as food, storage, toiletries, etc. I think the idea of “zero waste” is mostly a label that people want so they can identify themselves as “eco-friendly” or show that they care. I think the best way to do something to our lifestyles is just find a way to reduce our waste as much as possible and stick to the regimen that we create for ourselves.
May 8, 2019 at 12:19 PM
Anonymous said…
A zero waste lifestyle seems very appealing at first sight but it seems quite hard to follow. I think the first step should be to encourage a more reusable lifestyle rather than a wasteful one. This means encouraging using fewer napkins, plastic water bottles, and plastic silverware. This lifestyle could be adopted by all Americans with very little effort and could have vast impacts. Having a zero-waste lifestyle for all is very unrealistic and I think baby steps should be taken before jumping straight to zero waste.
-Adam Ghanem
May 8, 2019 at 9:26 PM
Anonymous said…

A zero waste lifestyle is no doubt a very difficult task but in reality it is true lily unattainable. There will never be a way for a single person to completely contribute no waste at all. However it is the mindset that matters really. If everyone created as little waste as possible than the world would greatly benefit.
May 9, 2019 at 9:54 AM
Anonymous said…
I think the zero waste lifestyle could work for a select few people, but for the majority of us, it is difficult to waste nothing at all and maintain some form of efficiency. However, the other tips on the blog were interesting as well. On a large scale, people simply bringing their on carry bags for groceries could greatly reduce the amount of plastic that it used.
May 9, 2019 at 10:32 AM
Anonymous said…
I think that the idea of the Zero Waste Lifestyle is a great attempt at a better and sustainable life. However, it is essentially a very difficult task to fulfill. Maybe instead of jumping into producing no waste, which is not really possible, we should encourage people to reuse, recycle and reduce. We should raise the awareness about how much waste each person, individually, produces and provide more educational opportunities to learn about sustainability.
May 9, 2019 at 12:50 PM
Anonymous said…
Of course the thought of living a waste free life interests me greatly, however, it’d be quite the difficult task to follow through with. As brought up by the blog post, almost all everyday items involve some form of waste. Almost everything these days is packaged in plastic or paper. So how would one live a waste free life? I believe it starts by making some necessities such as soap and shampoo at home. And by recycling the waste products you do use. Additionally, you have to cut down on food wast by following the refuse, reduce, ruse, and recycle system.
May 10, 2019 at 7:10 AM
Anonymous said…
The whole bring your own plastic bag movement is really interesting in of itself. In Germany the movement has gained a lot of traction and they have now started to require reusable plastic bags be used by way of a plastic bag tax. They have also started created lots of plastic bag recycling centers in order to collect extra waste from the streets. Pherhaps the reason Germany has made so much progress in this matter is due to a complete culture change. It is now considered shameful or out of order for people to not recycle. Gut Arbeit Deutchland!
May 10, 2019 at 12:43 PM
Caroline Tuggle said…
As much as Id love to live a life that is completely waste free life, it would be borderline impossible all things considered. I believe that taking small steps towards a waste free lifestyle would be much more effective than trying to jump to completely waste free . doing things such as taking your own bags to the grocery store instead of getting plastic ones, carrying reusable water bottles instead of buying single use plastic ones, etc. can greatly reduce waste production if people integrate them into their everyday lifestyle.
May 10, 2019 at 1:15 PM
Unknown said…
I think the initiative of a zero waste life style isn't practical, but I don't think that's necessarily the purpose of such movements. Essentially, it's to show that reducing your waste usage is possible and can encourage drastic waste reductions. Things like using recyclable products, supporting companies that consider the environment, and using items that can be reused all massively reduce the amount of waste that is produced by each individual. Every day, items we use eventually become waste; through conscious efforts, we can drastically reduce this amount.
May 10, 2019 at 9:19 PM
Anonymous said…
I think the initiative of a zero waste life style isn't practical, but I don't think that's necessarily the purpose of such movements. Essentially, it's to show that reducing your waste usage is possible and can encourage drastic waste reductions. Things like using recyclable products, supporting companies that consider the environment, and using items that can be reused all massively reduce the amount of waste that is produced by each individual. Every day, items we use eventually become waste; through conscious efforts, we can drastically reduce this amount.

Jibran Khalil
May 10, 2019 at 9:21 PM
Anonymous said…
In theory the waste free lifestyle is the most beneficial practice in order to reduced pollution, but in a practical setting it is very hard to accomplish. I believe this due to the fact that there are still many things we use in a daily basis that can’t be saved or reused. We can govern promote extensive use of recycling in that recycle common packaging and bringing personal utensils to eat with. This limited waste idea was implemented in a city and japan a few years ago and has significantly decreased trash production.
May 10, 2019 at 9:26 PM
Anonymous said…
Living a zero waste lifestyle involves a little forethought and a lot of inspiration. We can shop second hand. Carbon trusts estimate that CO2 emissions associated with clothing account for three percent of global emissions. This number includes out-sourced production, shipping, washing, and drying. Shopping second hand saves good clothing from a landfill and reduces the overall demand for clothing production. Additionally, we can recycle obviously. Unless the school goes completely paperless, chances are there are stacks of paper that could be recycled. While reusable water bottles are the best option, any plastic water bottles should be recycled as well. We as a whole human race must remember that we have to save this earth for our future generations.
May 11, 2019 at 11:29 AM
Anonymous said…
This post was very informative and helped me understand about the environment a lot. It really helped me get a grasp on the true impact this has had and I belive the government should do something about it. This is devastating and it can contribute to global warming.
May 11, 2019 at 7:16 PM
Anonymous said…
Though the zero waste lyfestyle in theory is the best way to live, it isn't entirely practical. However, we should make our best effort to minimize the amount of waste that we produce. For example, many of the things we use can be re used or recycled. We can also promote initiative to live a more Eco friendly lyfestyle. Schools can also go completely paperless.
May 11, 2019 at 7:19 PM
Anonymous said…
Ideally speaking, a lifestyle comprised of zero waste would be the best practice to make a real impact on reducing global pollution, but it isn't exactly practical. Recycling offers a method to reduce wastage, but items that are recyclable have certain specifications that make several common items non recyclable. As a planet, recycling must be further enforced to limit waste as much as possible, thus eventually reducing pollution.
May 11, 2019 at 7:32 PM
Anonymous said…
Living a zero waste life would be very effective, however I believe it is a big challenge. It’s important for people to take small steps to help combat environmental damage and minimize the amount of waste. Us humans need to be recalled that we are the ones at the forefront of all environmental damages and that changes do need to be implemented.
May 12, 2019 at 2:59 PM
Anonymous said…
While it would be hard to live a zero waste life, I think it could solve a lot of our wasteful habits and be better for our society and environment. Investing in reusable items like water bottles or straws may seem like a small thing but it has a huge impact when everyone works together for a common goal.
May 13, 2019 at 8:04 AM
Anonymous said…
While I do think that living a zero waste lifestyle is very interesting, I don't think it's very attainable for many people. I think that buying and using reusable products is very beneficial especially if you buy something disposable everyday. However, we shouldn't pressure everyone to conform to a strict lifestyle. Little changes make a big difference!
May 13, 2019 at 9:30 AM
Anonymous said…
Although the zero waste lifestyle seems very ideal, I think even while taking extreme measures, it is a difficult lifestyle to achieve. Most people agree that recycling has significant benefits, even if it isn’t a perfect solution to our environmental problems. Though it can be a bit of an inconvenience, recycling has empowered households and businesses to feel like they’re doing something to make their community a more eco-friendly place. Although zero waste is impractical, the little things can we implement can protect the health of communities by reducing pollution in the air, water and soil by keeping toxics and waste out of landfills and incinerators.
May 13, 2019 at 1:19 PM
Anonymous said…
A zero waste lifestyle sounds like the perfect way to eliminate all difficulties we have stopping pollution from having a huge impact on the earth. However, it does not sound very realistic. To go from using as much plastic, paper, etc. we do currently to going to zero plastic and paper is not something that is easy to transition to and it will be faced with a lot of rebellion from the common people. If anything, the change needs to be very gradual and it has to start with corporations that package things in waste products.
May 14, 2019 at 12:21 PM
Anonymous said…
The movement of trying to create a zero waste lifestyle seems like a far reach and not practical, but I don't think that means we should completely give up on this dream. We should at least aim to land near amongst the stars even if we can't land on the moon. By aiming to get as close to possible to a zero waste society as we can, we can most likely reduce the damage done on our environment by tenfolds. We should encourage businesses and the government to try to put ecofriendly principles in place to initiate our step towards this utopian world.
May 14, 2019 at 12:21 PM
Anonymous said…
Although the zero waste lifestyle seems like a great and planet changing idea and method, I don’t think that it is very practical. These type of ideas and movements have come up in the past with little to no success, and I believe that it stems from the fact that too many people simply do not care or are far too lazy. In order for this idea to be set into motion, the world needs to be able to wake up and realize that our planet is at real risk. There is still hope, but changes in peoples’ mindset must be changed now.
May 14, 2019 at 4:42 PM
Anonymous said…
The idea of a zero waste lifestyle is a really good attempt to eliminate waste, but it doesn´t seem very realistic. People have so much waste it will be difficult to eliminate it completely. These ideas for the zero waste lifestyle are very smart and people should try to follow them as much as they can.
May 17, 2019 at 9:52 AM
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