Is Zero Waste sustainable?

The zero waste movement is gaining traction and for good reason. It’s a solution to the plastic plaguing our oceans and the problem of phenomenal amounts of waste around the world. The idea is to create zero (or as little as possible) waste at the personal level; taking control of your own environmental impact.

This means no takeaway cups, no plastic packaging, no food packaging, no plastic bags, no disposable products—no waste.

This lifestyle is taking off on Pinterest and Instagram where influencers are making the movement look beautiful and desirable for people, which is something old-school hippies have struggled to achieve.

Reducing waste is crucial for living more sustainably, but we have to question the longevity of the zero waste movement because zero waste does not automatically mean sustainable. There are several other things to consider when going about your day and many of these go hand in hand with zero waste to form the basis of sustainable living.

The movement is missing various elements. Even if you are creating less waste, you could still be responsible for a lot of greenhouse emissions and even adding to your carbon footprint. Driving less, consuming less, and eating less meat can all help reduce your carbon footprint.

Buying zero waste is most effective when you support local businesses. Not only is it vital to support your local economy and strengthen local resilience in the face of climate change uncertainty, but many zero waste items are manufactured around the world—the carbon footprint generated by their transportation more than offsets the value of your item being zero waste. There are no doubt plenty of people making and selling package-free items and zero waste products in your area; you might just need to look a little closer.

Adding on to this is food supply. The zero waste movement focuses on reducing packaging (shrink-wrapped peeled oranges, anyone?) but where your food was grown, how it was grown, and how it got to your local shop are larger concerns. Buying locally-sourced products reduces the carbon footprint of your food and also bolsters your local farmers. You could even grow your own food…

Remember, you might well be living a zero waste lifestyle yet contributing to the pollution of the planet and the destruction of natural habitats without realising it. Sustainability is about so much more than reducing waste and unfortunately, it’s time to feel guilty when we slip up.

Embrace the guilt and endeavour to do more—aiming for zero waste is a great place to start. ■

Other stories in this issue

Why are we all fixating on plastic straws?

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Touring an audacious future in the UAE

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Paper towels or hand dryers: what's more eco-friendly?

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Change one thing right now

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Climate changing apathy

Climate change seeps into everything we do and if we don’t do something radically different, it’s not going anywhere.

Why can’t we just cover the Sahara with solar panels?

The energy needs of the world could be met by just covering 1.2 percent of the Sahara desert in solar panels. So why haven’t we?

#Trashtag

We’ve all done stupid things in the name of a good viral hashtag. Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? Or planking?

Saving the planet with meatless Monday?

As people look for the easiest ways to reduce their environmental impact, many are learning that eating less meat could be the answer. Right?

Is Zero Waste sustainable?

Reducing waste is crucial for living more sustainably, but we have to question the longevity of the zero waste movement because zero waste does not automatically mean sustainable.

Living the Zero Waste lifestyle

It’s about living entirely waste-free: free of plastic, free of chemicals and simply a more sustainable and healthier lifestyle than the one a lot of us are sadly used to.