Since April 22, 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated as a day of action to bring awareness and support to environmental issues. This year’s theme, “Restore Our Earth,” inspires participants to repair and rebuild the world’s ecosystems through environmental literacy, reforestation, sustainable food practices, citizen science, and a global waste cleanup.
The global waste problem presents a continuous threat to the wellbeing of communities and ecosystems. Although individual action through cleanups has been successful in removing litter and debris from roadways, shorelines, and public spaces, we also need upstream interventions by local governments and manufacturers that take a holistic approach to waste management.
“Zero Waste” is one such strategy that many communities across the United States and around the world have adopted to improve their waste management systems. The Zero Waste International Alliance defines “zero waste” 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.”
While this approach to waste management seeks to increase recycling and composting efforts, it also focuses on rethinking the production of materials. Under the zero-waste framework, the materials we use for packaging, electronics, and other goods are made to be more durable, repairable, reusable, and fully recyclable or compostable, which significantly reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators.
Today, waste disposal not only generates substantial air and water pollution, but also releases greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Zero waste strategies offer an opportunity for cities and towns to clean up their waste management practices by changing the way we consume and dispose of materials while also achieving emission reductions and creating a healthier environment.
