Zero Waste in the NYT

A recent article in the New York Times, entitled Nudging Recycling From Less Waste to None, describes the growing trend toward zero waste.

Across the nation, an antigarbage strategy known as “zero waste” is moving from the fringes to the mainstream, taking hold in school cafeterias, national parks, restaurants, stadiums and corporations.

The movement is simple in concept if not always in execution: Produce less waste. Shun polystyrene foam containers or any other packaging that is not biodegradable. Recycle or compost whatever you can.

Though born of idealism, the zero-waste philosophy is now propelled by sobering realities, like the growing difficulty of securing permits for new landfills and an awareness that organic decay in landfills releases methane that helps warm the earth’s atmosphere.

For a more in-depth look at creating zero waste, take a look at Zero Waste: From Philosophy to Practical Implementation. This is documentation from a seminar held this Fall by the U.S. Environmental Protection agency’s solid waste management. There’s a video as well. Here’s the introductory quote:

The “zero waste” philosophy aims to minimize waste and resource consumption in order to conserve energy, mitigate climate change, reduce water usage, prevent toxics creation, and minimize ecosystem destruction. With almost one-third of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the acquisition of materials, reducing consumption has the potential to significantly affect climate change.