Minimizing waste, minimizing harm

Discussing masks and their necessary existence during the COVID-19 pandemic in parallel with the concern of their high environmental pollution risk can make for an appropriate segue into discussing how to address our use of other common items. If the disposable mask is a mandatory component of our lives for now, how can we otherwise make a dent in our ecological footprint by avoiding creating more waste, especially when it comes to our use of plastic-made products and other materials that take a long time to break down into the environment?

Before diving into the solutions, it is relevant to point out that as of 2021, twenty companies are responsible for 55% of the planet’s plastic waste production. This unequivocal statement is upheld by multiple media sources such as The Guardian, BBC, CNBC, and Euronews among others, as it represents our current time’s reality, a statement that resonates strongly with our inability to turn back time and reverse the effects of mass-production and mass waste management, that entails the emission of greenhouse gases through landfilling which can be combated through adopting better thrash disposing practices: “With more waste being recycled, less of it needs to be landfilled or incinerated, which contributes to protecting the climate,” according to Eurostat. This statement also reflects how ultimately, although each and every one of us should implement sustainable practices into our lives, the giant corporations of our times should be held accountable and forced to implement better measures against waste, on a larger, more impactful scale. Non-profit organizations focused on climate change solutions like Grist, state that over the years recycling marketing campaigns have often placed the responsibility on the common folk, rather than tackle the source of the problem: “The focus has been on the litterbugs who tossed garbage on the ground, rather than on the companies manufacturing all that trash-to-be to begin with,” the same source referencing a report done by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives that disclosed that “across five major cities in the U.S., only 8.8 percent of the plastic that goes into garbage and recycling bins actually ends up getting recycled.” With such information on hand, it might feel like we are doomed. Should we feel guilty for not recycling or are we off the hook if the blame can be attributed to giant corporations such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, to name a few?  

These questions are tackled with increased frequency in the media, as solutions are provided, different angles are considered and discussed, but the general moral consensus is that we should all do our part in slowing down the climate crisis, as much as we can, even if our impact might feel insignificant.

One rather strict solution that has gained popularity among sustainability-conscious individuals, specifically internet influencers is “going zero-waste”, meaning trying to produce as little waste as possible. GoingZeroWaste defines the process of “zero waste” as aiming to “send nothing to a landfill”, by employing the following: “We reduce what we need, reuse as much as we can, send little to be recycled, and compost what we cannot.” The internet provides innumerable resources on how to adopt a trash-free, zero-waste lifestyle, a way to take full responsibility for how and how much we consume, and make mindful decisions about the things we buy, recycle, renew or replace, all in order to break the cycle of consumerism that has engulfed our society. Yet, the question that begs to be asked is how attainable is a zero-waste lifestyle?

One article in The New York Times aptly titled “Life without plastic is possible. It’s just very hard,” concomitantly stated that “to exist in the modern world without plastic, however noble a goal, may not actually be possible”, as it turns out plastic is everywhere, in our kitchens, in our bathrooms, it makes up so many of our day-to-day objects, the article also taking into consideration that “there are certain situations where plastics are unavoidable” such as “having a medical procedure using a plastic syringe or an intravenous drip bag”, or similarly accepting a plastic water bottle after a natural disaster or in dire need. Nonetheless, what one person practicing “zero-waste” that was interviewed in the article declared is that people should go “step by step” in trying to remove all plastic waste from their lives, as this feat can be as daunting as the realization that the world is engulfed in this material.

Some zero-waste practices mentioned in the article refer to bringing baskets, canvas bags, jars when going shopping instead of using plastic bags to pack fruits and vegetables, as well as choosing a farmer’s market in favor of supermarkets. As more and more people hop on the sustainability train, more and more alternatives for plastic can be found on the market, such as “wooden toothbrushes with pig-hair bristles” and “food wrappers made with beeswax coated cotton”. Nonetheless, the article also takes into account the issue of wealth and time, as all alternatives are ultimately more expensive than the plastic version of an item, one environmental scientist that was interviewed stated that although she is able to avoid plastic in most areas, she can understand if “the mother who’s juggling work, kids, other things” might have different priorities. 

Returning to GoingZeroWaste, similar apt advice can be found when approaching practices such as reducing and reusing: “You don’t need everything you think you need. So many products are sold to us for a specific use. But, you don’t need a separate cleaner for the floor, the windows, and the bathroom.” Having a more mindful approach about the quantity of items we own compared to the quantity of items we use, can ultimately only result in less waste. Similarly, repairing instead of replacing is one, albeit more time-consuming practice that is worth a try as it can confer more value to our belongings and enable us to have a greater appreciation for the manufacturing of an item, especially if it’s made up of more sustainable materials.

Another solution is without a doubt recycling: separating your waste, putting plastic in the plastic bin, and avoiding contaminating the recycled trash by throwing “soiled food containers and polystyrene” into the special bins. Nonetheless, Louise Guillot for Politico explains how recycling does not always work. Not only because mass waste management actions are not handled properly, but also because “if people believe they can buy aluminum coffee capsules, plastic water bottles or even new cars, expecting that everything will be recycled and reused, it allows them to consume with a clean conscience.” Be that as it may, recycling, being aware of how much waste you are producing, is infinitely better than neglect. 

Ultimately, going on a journey of minimizing waste should start with the acceptance of failure, as absolute lack of waste is impossible, as we all contribute to creating trash in ways that we are not even aware of. Just switching up the disposable plastic bag provided in supermarkets with canvas totes can be as good of a start as any, while advocating for waste reduction measures to be implemented in your local town, reminding your loved ones to discard their mask appropriately are all small steps that can be taken until large scale solutions will finally be put into place for the entities of our world that leave a bigger ecological footprint on the environment.

Pușcașu Patricia

Bibliography

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Going Zero Waste. n.d. About Zero Waste – Going Zero Waste. [online] Available at: <https://www.goingzerowaste.com/zero-waste-1/&gt;

Guillot, L., 2020. How recycling is killing the planet. [online] POLITICO. Available at: https://www.politico.eu/article/recycling-killing-the-planet/

Kurutz, S., 2019. Life Without Plastic Is Possible. It’s Just Very Hard. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/16/style/plastic-free-living.html

Laville, S., 2021. Twenty firms produce 55% of world’s plastic waste, report reveals. [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/18/twenty-firms-produce-55-of-worlds-plastic-waste-report-reveals

Louise Eccles, C., 2021. Tonnes of recycling contaminated by ‘wishcyclers’ who can’t bear to chuck. [online] Thetimes.co.uk. Available at: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tonnes-of-recycling-contaminated-by-wishcyclers-who-cant-bear-to-chuck-83g395bqw

Richter, F., 2020. Infographic: The Companies With the Largest Plastic Footprint. [online] Statista Infographics. Available at: https://www.statista.com/chart/23744/branded-plastic-waste-found-in-global-cleanups/

Shukman, D., 2021. Just 20 firms behind more than half of single-use plastic waste – study. [online] BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57149741

Yoder, K., 2021. Corporations tried to blame you for the plastic crisis. Now states are turning the tables.. [online] Grist. Available at: https://grist.org/accountability/maine-oregon-laws-shift-responsibility-for-recycling-plastic-waste-to-companies/

Featured image courtesy of Jasmin Sessler on Unsplash