Zero Garbage

Zero Garbage is an approach to waste prevention through resource redesign.

Zero Garbage, widely known as Zero Waste, is a comprehensive philosophy and practical approach aimed at eliminating waste by redesigning the life cycles of resources. It ensures that all materials are reused, repurposed, or recycled, so that nothing ends up in landfills, incinerators, or the environment. This concept is deeply rooted in the idea of a circular economy, where products and materials are kept in use for as long as possible to maximize value before recovery and regeneration at the end of their life cycle.

The main goal of Zero Waste is to prevent waste generation at its source. A central aspect of this approach is considering products throughout their entire life cycle, so they are designed for durability, reparability, reuse, and ultimately for recycling or composting. This approach minimizes the need for new raw materials and significantly reduces environmental impact.

The Zero Waste hierarchy provides a decision-making guideline and prioritizes actions, starting with reducing material and energy consumption, followed by reuse, recycling, and composting. These strategies not only offer ecological benefits but also economic efficiency, as reduced resource extraction and waste prevention can lower costs for businesses and communities.

Zero Waste strategies can be implemented at various levels – from individual consumers to businesses to communities and governments. Despite the challenges involved in a systemic shift from linear to circular models, the international movement towards Zero Waste demonstrates that significant progress in sustainability is achievable.