Zero Waste? Zero Problem
As students who are passionate about sustainability, we try our best to be as environmentally friendly as possible. We do the small things and are constantly looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint. Even if we try to purchase only sustainable products, we waste a lot.
Moving to a system of cradle-to-cradle from cradle-to-grave is something that seems borderline impossible. Fortunately society has progressed and now a lot of products can now be recycled, but how can we move from upcycling to down cycling and ultimately reduce our waste?
Lauren Singer, 23 year old post graduate living in New York City has decided to commit to a zero-waste lifestyle. Singer currently only has a small mason jar which accounts for all her waste from the past two years. 
Moving to a zero-waste lifestyle meant not just reducing the amount of plastic she used, but eliminating a lot of plastic she was buying. She now has home-made products such as toothpaste, laundry detergent and deodorant. By making her own products, she is essentially eliminating one customer cost of post-use cost. 
Singer created a blog Trash is for Tossers which follows her sustainable lifestyle while providing people with zero waste alternatives. Many people commented on the blog that they did not have the time to create these home-made products which spurred an idea for Singer. Looking to make it more convenient for consumers (one of the 4Cs of sustainable marketing), Singer created a company to sell some of her home-made products.
The Simple Co, is a sustainable home cleaning goods line inspired by the products she makes at home. The company currently only carries the line of laundry detergent but is essentially taking many of the strategies for sustainable product development. This company is reducing toxicity in addition to making sustainable packaging which uses strategies such as source reduce, recyclable and safe for disposal.
If products like Singers can become the norm for society, maybe we can move to a cradle-to-cradle lifestyle.
Cool post, Kristen! I’ve always wondered how people have such discipline. I’ve heard of similar feats being performed – like people who go without the internet for a year. Sounds impossible!
I might sound a little pessimistic here, but if it’s so hard for a human being to go without waste for a year, it must be pretty darn difficult for companies to pull it off! There are no incentives for a company to eliminate their waste – it’s just extra costs to find ways to reduce their waste. That’s why I think the cradle-to-cradle model is so effective. The model implies that companies can make something valuable out of the garbage – thus creating value. Compared to the no waste model, companies create no value in finding ways to eliminate waste – it just costs a lot more R&D.
(Maybe in 2050, someone in a waste-free, ultra-sustainable society is going to read this and think I’m such a downer for thinking human beings can’t go a year without producing waste)
Hey Bruno,
I agree, I think that it is going to be very difficult for a company let alone a person to adopt this lifestyle. I am hopeful for the future though. Adopting a cradle-to-cradle model for companies would be a great start. Not sure when it will be possible for all companies to do so though.
I admire your decision to go environmentally friendly and trying to go for zero waste lifestyle. This is just the first step to a better and healthier society so I guess that each of us has to do their best in order to push further. Greetings and keep up the good work!