Zero Waste
By Dr Patrick Lee (views are the author’s own)
This article is inspired by my niece, Jennifer who resides in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada with her family of four.
Jennifer is a zero-waste movement activist.
Over the summer she collected a number of skids of wood and transformed the materials into 10 to 14 inch trees as décor to raise money for charities. With climate issues on the rise, she decided to live the most eco-friendly lifestyle she can. Her family of four has been able to reduce their trash to one to two grocery bags a month.
“The zero-waste movement is a lifestyle where people aim to eliminate their trash output completely. This means no plastic, no wrappers, no garbage. While this may seem like an unrealistic task in today’s very disposable society, everyday people all over the country are showing that it can be done. By re-evaluating the way they approach the concept of trash, 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.” (Planet Aid, 2016)
Zero waste has great benefits to our environment:
Zero waste reduces our climate impact.
Reducing, reusing and recycling is a key part of a climate change strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Zero waste conserves resources and minimizes pollution.
Recycling keeps waste out of landfills and it provides manufacturers with recycled materials to make goods and products.
Zero waste has great benefits to our communities:
Zero waste promotes social equity and builds community.
Community projects help redistribute goods to those in need, from leftover food donated to shelters, to furniture for refugees, to business clothing for those entering the job market.
Zero waste benefits our economy.
Zero waste supports a local circular economy and creates jobs.
Reducing and reusing materials create more jobs in rental and sharing businesses, repair and tailoring, and reuse businesses.
·Zero waste needs business to play a key role.
-Set rules to require companies that import or make products and packaging to take responsibility for the waste from those products. “Extended producer responsibility” gives companies an incentive to reduce packaging and to make their products easier to recycle. This may drive innovation for a circular resource economy. (Toronto Environment Alliance, n.d.)
While the leaders of the world talked a lot at COP 26, the rest of us can actually try to produce zero waste.
Schools can certainly do more in educating students to the benefits of zero waste. We all can play our part in building a sustainable world.
Happy holidays!
By Dr Patrick Lee (views are the author’s own)
Patrick is an experienced educational Director with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. He is a Co-Founder of Whitehead, Lee & Associates, a consultancy providing expert advice and guidance to international schools.
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