Zero Waste

Waste is ‘Waste’ only when it is thrown. If we learn to manage our waste, it will turn into our resources. While a year ago when I came to know about Zero Waste! Zero Waste is the way to move towards sustainable waste management practices. One step towards Zero Waste living by all of us will make a big difference. So, I can share with you all my knowledge regarding ZW!

The term “Zero Waste” refers to the conservation of all resources by responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of all products, packaging, and materials, without burning or discharging to land, water, or air that endangers the environment or human health. It is based on the 4R principles of waste management including refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle. Primary goal of Zero waste is to reduce waste by redesigning the manufacturing and distribution processes. It is the standard of living Nowadays with a healthy environment. Currently, numerous local, national, and International organizations, and civil society groups are promoting zero waste and putting it into practice all around the world. And it has been demonstrated that there is currently no better way to live a waste-free life. Following this success, Environment and Social Development Organization - ESDO launched a pilot project in July 2020 entitled “Building Zero Waste Communities for A Pollution-free Environment in Bangladesh” to protect bio - diversity and ecological balance, as well as to enhance community livelihoods, socioeconomic standing, and environmental education in Bangladesh.

Why Zero Waste

We operate in a linear economy where resources are extracted from the earth and dumped into landfills. Moving toward a circular economy where trash is eliminated is the aim of zero waste. Instead of throwing away resources, we design a method that allows for a 100% resource recovery. Zero waste benefits communities, preserves the environment, and boosts the local economy. Building community capacity, assisting marginalized populations, and preserving community health are all possible with a zero waste strategy. Community-based zero waste initiatives like composting at a community, gardening, organic farming, sharing of tools and skills for reuse and repair, and capacity-building to cut costs and waste are all examples of such initiatives. Through the prevention of toxic chemicals and waste from entering landfills and incinerators, a zero-waste strategy also safeguards the health of communities by lowering pollution in the air, water, and soil.

Moving forward to Zero-Waste Lifestyle

The zero-waste movement is a way of life that focuses on conserving the environment by minimizing the amount of waste each person produces each day. This way of living is committed to minimizing the amount of waste that is dumped in landfills. Although producing no waste is difficult, several techniques to cut consumption are good for the environment. Instead of buying single-use items that fill landfills and fuel climate change and global warming, the zero waste movement encourages participants to stress recycling and reusing products and goods. This way of life closely resembles minimalism, which is a philosophy of living that emphasizes acquiring just those things that are absolutely necessary or may serve several functions. It tries to avoid using any landfill space by recycling as little as possible, reusing everything we can, and by composting organic waste. Therefore, true goal of zero waste is to rethink our entire cycle of resource extraction, consumption, and waste management such that no resources are wasted at any step along the route, not merely to keep waste out of landfills. The world’s current institutions and customs are directly challenged by this idea.

One step towards Zero Waste living by all of us will make a big difference. One person alone cannot do everything, but she/ he can do something. The journey of moving towards zero waste begins with personal life practices. Let’s start to develop a framework for waste-free living.

The writer is Executive Director ESDO