Zero Waste Movement
The Zero Waste Lifestyle Movement focuses on the concept of zero waste at the consumer level. Recycling used to be a viable solution to minimise waste because products that were no longer were sold to industries that repurposed and profited from them. However, with the rapid rise of single-use plastics, recycling can no longer be the sole solution to waste management because the current waste infrastructure isn’t sophisticated enough to handle such a large volume of single-use plastic. In fact, in Singapore, only 6% of plastics are recycled while the vast majority of plastics, which constitutes 30% of the total waste, is thrown in with the rest of non-recyclable wastes dumped into Semakau landfill. With the earlier deadline of the Semakau landfill reaching its full capacity, there needs to be a change in our over-reliance on plastics.
The movement offers an alternative to one’s current lifestyle. It is unique because it emphasises on minimising waste generation rather than managing waste after a product is no longer of use. That is, the Zero Waste Movement advocates for waste prevention. This then urges practitioners to be mindful of their purchases before making it and what entails that purchase. Knowing, for example, that buying a morning kopi peng from a nearby foodcourt entails a single-use plastic cup and straw that will eventually go into the general waste bin, being zero waste means bringing a reusable cup (and straw, if necessary). Generally speaking, before even making a purchase, you can ask yourself:
- Is the product more resource-intensive than what I currently use?
- Is the product reusable? Or at least recyclable?
- If not, is there an accessible reusable alternative?
- How much environmental impact (e.g. transport, packaging) did it take to manufacture this product?
- Is there an accessible alternative with less packaging?
- If it is disposable, is it biodegradable?
- How much environmental impact have after it is no longer in use?
Now, if you’re anything like me, you probably don’t have enough time to actually look all of this up for each purchase you make. The 5 Rs, advocated for by zero waste lifestyle trailblazer Bea Johnson, encapsulates the zero waste movement quite elegantly. That said, there are other ways one can support the Zero Waste Movement without making extraordinary changes to their lifestyle.
At its core, the zero waste movement gives the power to make an environmental difference to the individual through making deliberate and mindful choices. The same way that little bits of waste add up, the effect of avoiding little bits of waste does, too.
“We don’t need a few people doing zero-waste perfectly: we need millions doing it imperfectly.” – Lauren Singer
| UN Sustainable Goals | The 5 R’s |