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Community Matters: Zero Waste by Pam Curran

Have you ever considered what life without trash might look like? Bea Johnson, author of Zero Waste Home , and her husband, Scott, began a journey to sustainability in 2008 after learning how profoundly endangered our planet is and how everyday decision making was making matters worse. Together they tackled the “greening” of their home and adopted a unique measurement of success: How little trash were they producing? Being aware of how much trash our lifestyles create may begin as a straightforward measurement of how sustainably a family is living, but it quickly grows into a creativity booster. Finding a balance between life’s being green and life’s being easy is a component of making a zero-waste lifestyle fulfilling. Balancing the two goals while eliminating waste is potentially the most creative, artistic, and practical work of our time. When interest in reducing waste is piqued, it can quickly become a healthy obsession for the whole family. Learning what may work in your home and what doesn’t can also engender a deeper connection to your community. From Bea and Scott Johnson’s home, zero waste has grown into a movement that is being adopted and adapted by twenty somethings, families, businesses, industry, and yes, even municipalities across Europe as a large-scale waste- management solution. But back to your home. Zero waste does not mean more recycling; in fact, some zero-waste families have a goal of zero recycling. Sound impossible? Winnowing recyclables

can be a really fun family adventure. Want to try a few starters? Replace single-use plastics with durable alternatives: There are low-impact alternatives to every single-use plastic item, such as plastic bags, bottles, cups, lids, straws, and flatware. Reduce by evaluating patterns of past consumption : Assess the true use of, need for, and joy in everything in your home and let go of what is not used, needed, or bringing joy. Reuse by shopping with your own containers and asking for items without packaging: Bring your own jars when shopping for food from bulk containers. Everything from peanut butter to meat to olive oil is available without packaging. Eliminate buying packaged items as much as possible. Recycle what you cannot do without or reuse. Borrow, loan, trade, barter, or rent. Buy and sell used items, share items that sit unused for hours or days, and extend the life of necessities through repairing, rethinking their purpose, and returning. Great fashion and high quality can be found at thrift shops. Compost your yard waste and food waste. Even toothbrushes can be composted if they are made of wood and have natural bristles. Additional resources are available all over the internet and YouTube. Here are two classic sites: zerowastehome.com and trashisfortossers.com. Comments or questions about zero waste? Contact us at chebeagueislandcouncil@gmail.com.

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DECEMBER 2016 CHEBEAGUE ISLAND COUNCIL CALENDAR