Zero Waste can be a goal that you can strive for in your personal life, and one that municipalities, governments and nations can aim for, too. It is our belief that we need participation from all of these levels in order to address our current waste crisis. 

Zero Waste can also be described as responsible resource management. The Zero Waste International Alliance defines it as “The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.”

Zero Waste is a good news story. Instead of a waste problem, zero waste creates a resource opportunity. Every day we get closer to or further from a waste-free future. We can choose to conserve our limited resources and reduce our climate impact, or we can continue to make “waste” and throw away our opportunities for positive change.

Why does Zero Waste Matter?

• Earth’s natural resources are limited and we are currently consuming them and turning them into things that have short lifespans and cannot be remanufactured. We call this a linear economy or the “take-make-waste” system, in which we need to keep consuming without an end in sight. This current system turns a blind eye to the impacts of resource extraction in favour of short term profit for a very few people.

• Every step along this path causes significant damage to our planet. For an in-depth explanation of how the linear economy works and why and how it does so much damage, please see the short film “The Story of Stuff” below.