Several times a week, we haul out trash. We never really think much about it; we put things in the trash can, tie up the bag, haul it to the garbage can, and put it out on the curb every Tuesday like clockwork.
But, what if we lived in a world of zero waste? Impossible you say? Well, yes, maybe, but the Johnson family of Mill Valley, California is trying to come close.
Did you know that the average American family disposes of over 1,000 pounds of trash each year? One day in 2006, Bea Johnson announced to her husband Scott that they should stop having trash to throw out. Like any good husband, Scott said he thought she had lost her mind.
But, the Johnsons, including sons Max, 10, and Leo, 10, all got on board with Bea’s wishes.
How did the Johnsons cut down? They recycle, reuse, and compost everything except what fits in a one liter glass jar. When Bea goes to see the butcher, she takes glass jars to bring her meat, fish, and cheese home in. Rather than use paper towels, the family uses rags for cleanups. The boys carry lunch to school in knotted towels. The family still purchases toilet paper (thank goodness), but they do recycle the cardboard tube.
If you are interested in cutting down your waste, Bea suggests you follow the five R’s:
– Refuse (what you don’t need)
– Reduce (what you do need)
– Reuse (by using reusables)
– Recycle (what you can’t refuse, reduce, or reuse)
– And Rot (compost the rest)
I find this to be an interesting idea. I am not sure I am ready to send my son to school with his lunch in a towel, but we do use a reusable lunch bag and I try to avoid plastic bags. If you are interested in trying to reduce your household to as little waste as possible, you can follow Bea’s advice on her blog – thezerowastehome.com.