As individuals we exploit our resources, I can say myself its hard to envision the big picture when it comes to taking a shower, running the water, driving our cars etc. Moving through the day is second nature, we don’t truly understand the number of resources we are using and the impact this has on the environment. There is a lack of understanding when it comes to our carbon footprint and a lack of encouragement daily on any platform to get people to recycle, drive less, reduce household energy use, and live as waste-free as possible. This has left us in a resource dilemma, this dilemma occurs each time we want to do something that uses a limited natural resource at a rate quicker than it can regenerate (Schneider et al., 2012). This leaves the users of these resources to face a choice: preserve or continue to contribute to this dilemma. I began looking into the ways to preserve our resources.
When I think of preserving resources and living less wastefully I think turning the water off when I brush my teeth, recycling, unplugging plugs when they are not being used etc. I’m still on the fence about the tap water, however, I am encouraged to look deeper into that. It was amazing to see that my efforts were just barely scratching the surface when it came to living waste free. There is a lifestyle called the zero waste life. These individuals live a life with ZERO waste. It’s important to note this is extreme when it comes to preserving our resources and even small steps help. After researching the zero waste life I was given several ideas of how I can be less wasteful. Zero waste means there is NO garbage produced, nothing is thrown into the trash and nothing is sent to a landfill (Trash is for Tossers, 2017). Although preserving resources involves more than just producing zero waste, helping reduce the size of landfills will reduce energy in regards to the efforts it takes to transport and dispose of the waste, which in turn will have a positive impact on the environment and our resources.
The Trash is for Tossers Blog showcases several ways to go waste-free some examples that are easy to transition to consisting of
- Replacing all plastic with glass, using mason jars to store food opposed to plastic Tupper wear
- Investing in laser hair removal to avoid using disposable razors ever again (costly but may be worth it in the long run).
- Purchase Bamboo toothbrushes opposed to plastic as they are compostable
- Coconut oil as a substitute for many plastics packaged makeup products
- Using recycled natural toilet paper
- Reusable bags and water bottles for everything – NO PLASTIC!
- Stainless steel utensils and straws
- Cloth towels opposed to paper
- Cast iron opposed to nonstick
- Natural cleaning solutions opposed to harsh chemicals
These alternatives are simple and easy lifestyle changes that will significantly improve your carbon footprint if they are followed over a length of time. As the environmental concerns start to grow we must be more conscious of our individual contribution. Below is a video of Bea Johnsons Zero waste lifestyle as features on CCTV America. Bea Johnson has a zero waste life book and blog and has inspired thousands of people to begin a zero waste journey.
References:
Penn State World Campus (2017) Psych 424: Lesson 4: The environment. Retrieved from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1867078/modules/items/22915533
Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understand and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Trash if for Tossers: 2017: Zero Waste alternatives. Retrieved from http://www.trashisfortossers.com/2013/08/zero-waste-alternatives-ultimate-list.html
I enjoyed reading your blog on a term I have never heard, “zero waste life.” I was fascinated while watching the drastic lifestyle change this woman and her family took to reduce waste in their household. Estimates suggest that Americans currently recycle about 34.6% of their waste (EPA, 2016). I was amazed to see a small glass jar was the entire family’s waste for one year. One person in America creates 4 pounds of trash per day, which is equivalent to 1.5 tons per year (#1 Recycling Fact, 2017). The world in certainly having a resource dilemma when it comes to natural resources. I would also suggest there is a public goods problem which is created when an individual must decide to contribute to a project benefiting everyone and is voluntary (Schneider, Gruman, & Coutts, 2012). I don’t believe many people are going to incorporate this voluntary zero waste lifestyle because is it high effort.
Recycling Facts. (2017). #1 Recycling Fact: You can make a difference. Retrieved from https://recyclingfacts.org/
Schneider, F., Gruman, J., Coutts, L. (2012). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Los Angeles. Sage.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2016). Advancing sustainable materials management: 2014 Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-11/documents/2014_smmfactsheet_508.pdf