Zero Waste Week 2021

The theme of this year’s Zero Waste Week is Nothing in Nature is Wasted. From January 24 – 30, we’ll be working with the Repurpose Project and Zero Waste Gainesville to bring you fun and educational events, promotions, and posts. Make sure you sign up for the Zero Waste Week 2021 newsletter to get all of the deets!

Today, take a moment to appreciate and acknowledge that everything we use and eat are resources. In the natural world, resources are continuously used and reused as organisms and nutrients form cycles and improve their ecosystems – thus nothing is waste. In short, one organism’s waste is another’s fuel.

For humans, although we ARE a part of nature and depend on those systems to survive, we also find ourselves participating in a form of consumption that interrupts the reuse cycle and introduces toxicity into the environment. Think about it in terms of plastic – animals and organisms do not understand what plastic is and they can’t use or consume it. So we find whales and bears and birds with bellies full of plastic because they have no concept of something being in their world that they can’t digest…

In this unsustainable age of Take (resources), Make (manufacture), and Waste (landfill), Zero Waste challenges the notion of managing unmanageable “trash” and instead seeks to manage our resources.

Today, spend time in the natural spaces around Gainesville, and appreciate how nature manages resources and waste in a circular way. We can all learn something from the genius of nature.

If you sign up for the newsletter, you can also get a link and password to screen the film The Story of Plastic on your own device at your leisure. It’s a really, really well produced film that explains so clearly why plastic is a problem and why we should care about it’s prevalence in today’s society. There will be a zoom discussion on the film at 7pm on Thursday, so make sure you stream it before then!

A whole day dedicated to your trash. Seems pretty weird at first, but it’s an important first step if you’re new to Zero Waste, and also can help reenergize your passion if you’ve been trying this for a while.

Audits can be any length of time, but I think one week between trash days is the best blend of manageable, easy, and informative.

If possible, include the “out and about” trash like disposable coffee cups, styrofoam, receipts, etc. If not possible, hopefully you will take mental notes and commit to reducing that type of trash as well.

Separate out your food waste. Do not skip this step! It’s kinda the gateway to composting anyway (which we will be discussing the benefits of at length tomorrow).

There’s a fun little video, instructions, and more tips over on the Zero Waste Gainesville website.

When you compost your food waste, you not only keep it out of the landfill (where it would create methane and contribute to greenhouse gases), you also allow it to turn back into soil and contribute directly, in an incredibly impactful way, to a greener planet.

I personally do the bucket swap system with Beaten Path Compost, so a huge shoutout to them for offering that service.

You can also check out the Day 3 info on the Zero Waste Gainesville website to learn how to compost at home with worms! There’s also a zoom event at 7 pm today that will take a deeper dive into preventing food waste and composting, hope to see you all there!

Your journey to “zero” will look different than mine, because we all consume (and live) differently. But what is consistent is recognizing that sometimes, the only way to reduce waste means not creating it in the first place. It’s just that simple.

How often have you take the freebie (because duh, it’s FREE), that ended up unused and adding to the clutter? Do you feel compelled or obligated to give away stuff at events? How many disposable cups, plastic bags, and/or styrofoam takeout containers have you thrown away this month? Does junk mail bother you?

Reduce clutter AND waste with a mindset shift and a determination to refuse to take on (or require other people to take on) the disposal of items that are made of synthetic materials, are only used for a few minutes, are altogether unnecessary, or – you guessed it, end up going straight to the trash.

Hop over to the Zero Waste Week Gainesville website for a deeper dive into REJECTING unnecessary waste, tips and tricks on how to get it done (yes, even the junk mail) and action items to help spread the word to legislator and local businesses. Collective rejection will go so far in convincing leaders and decision makes that we in fact do not accept the status quo.

Today we’re focusing on Reduce/Refill and (ahem) it’s kind of our day to shine! Check out our Instagram for a coupon code you can use on the webstore or in store to refill cleaning, laundry, personal care, pantry supplies, dog treats, and more!

We encourage you to bring your own containers, but it you forget, don’t worry! We can package all of your goods in recycled glass or sometimes recycled paper bags.

Also, be sure to head on over to the Zero Waste Gainesville website for some amazing original content, including a few videos with tips on how to reduce waste through refilling! Fun!

Tonight is the zoom discussion with Repurpose Project and Zero Waste Gainesville on the film The Story of Plastic, so join us at 7 pm to talk about well, the story of plastic!

Buying stuff has become so easy and so cheap and so “normal” that we don’t think about the harm it causes, but that needs to change in order to protect our planet and future. Buying used whenever possible is one way you can immediately begin reducing your environmental impact and support the circular economy already in place.

Read more about reusing on the Zero Waste Gainesville website, or in your newsletter about creating your very own daily zero waste kit with items you already have or can get from thrifting. Sarah from the Repurpose Project’s TED talk is also linked, and you can take advantage of Buy Used day at local thrift stores and give your input on a “foodware” ordinance.

At the end of Zero Waste Week, we thought it was a great opportunity to highlight the importance of increasing purchase research (and decreasing impulse buys) for durable goods that last a long time and can even retain value in a reuse economy.

Take a moment to head over to the Zero Waste Gainesville website for product research tips!

Thanks to all of you for participating this week! Please let us know if you have any questions moving forward, and we hope to see you in the shop soon, living your best zero waste life!