Low Waste Living: The History of the Zero-Waste Movement

Low Waste Living: The History of the Zero-Waste Movement

Straws in fish stomachs, microplastic in our drinking water and a global decline in our species diversity: our climate challenges have never been more evident, leaving many people asking the question, ‘what can I personally do to help?’

Calling for a conscious change of habits and focusing on well-made products that have been built to last, in short, the zero-waste movement aspires to send as little as possible to landfills helping to protect both natural habitats and the environment.

The Philosophy

The 6 R’s: Refuse, Reusing, Recycling, Repair, Reduce and Rot

A key cornerstone of the movement, the 6 R’s all focus on consuming fewer resources and help provide guidance for anyone interested in zero waste living. First, and by far the highest priority, is Refuse. This concentrates of the avoidance of waste entirely, i.e. refusing that paper straw or plastic shopping bag and instead considering more sustainable alternatives. The next 2 R’s stand for Reusing and Recycling waste, which encourages people to give new purpose to old items. The other three R’s stand for Repair, Reduce and Rot.

Rot emphasizes the need to compost organic waste where possible, and Repair, the mending of worn items to avoid further purchases. Finally, Reduce not only means limiting your general amount of waste but also thinking about what you really need and consuming more responsibly. Buying once, buying well is one of the easiest ways to drastically reduce consumption and is a key ethos for the foundation of Rye Botanica.

The People

An icon of the movement, Bea Johnson is widely recognized for pioneering and popularizing waste-free living. First sharing her journey on her blog ‘Zero Waste Home’ in 2008, Bea Johnson has since written and published: ‘Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying your Life by Reducing your Waste’ a book dedicated to providing inspiration and guidance on waste avoidance. Reaching millions of people around the world, the book has been translated to 28 languages, and remains a vital resource for the zero-waste movement.

Not alone in her quest to inspire other, bloggers Kathryn Kellogg of ‘’Going Zero Waste’’ and Ariana Schwarz of ‘’Paris To Go’’ encouraged people with their easy, everyday habits. From shopping with tote bags and jars with screw-on lids to using make-up with cacao powder, the bloggers focused on eco-friendly yet accessible swaps for a lower-waste lifestyle.

Interested in starting your low-waste journey?

Check out our top 10 eco-friendly swaps.

We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.

Anne Marie Bonneau

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