Zero Waste Week

January 23 – 29, 2022

It’s hard to believe, but Zero Waste Week 2022 is upon us! It kicked off today and goes throughout the week til Saturday January 29th.

To our local Gainesville, FL residents: Zero Waste Week will include both in person and online events. We are always looking for ways to involve more residents and can’t wait to celebrate sustainability with you.

To our readers far and wide: Zero Waste Week isn’t just for local residents! Due to the pandemic we have moved much of the celebrations online, and you can join in the fun!

Haven’t heard of Zero Waste Week?

If you haven’t heard of Gainesville’s Zero Waste Week it is a collaborative event focusing on policy and lifestyle choices that will further a sustainable, waste-free future for our beautiful city.

Zero Waste Gainesville (a community-led initiative) is devoted to education and awareness, as well as policy change that will protect our environment while having a positive impact on our collective health and economy.

Partners of Zero Waste Week (presented by Zero Waste Gainesville, The Repurpose Project, and Life Unplastic) include the City of Gainesville, Alachua County, Beaten Path Compost, Sierra Club Suwanee – St. Johns Group, We Are Neutral, NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, and Working Food.

Zero Waste Week 2022

First and foremost, if you want to stay up-to-date with information and join in the conversation, sign up for the Zero Waste Week newsletter by filling out this form.

In 2022, we will dive deep on the following topics:

City of Gainesville’s Zero Waste Ordinance
Rescuing Edible Food
Reusables To-Go
Reuse and Repurpose
Composting

If you’re signed up, you’ll receive a newsletter each day of the week with information and action points on each eco-friendly topic.

You can also check out content as it’s posted on zerowastegainesville.com under the tab: Zero Waste Week.

And if you’re in town, check out this event:

January 28: Clothing Swap and Art Installation at Reuse Planet (1540 NE Waldo Rd) – 5:00-8:00pm

All Week Long: Save 15% at Life Unplastic on all your eco-swaps and refills!

The Zero Waste Ordinance

If you’re reading this blog, it’s probably because you’re interested in doing your part for sustainability. But if you’ve been following me for any amount of time you know that the most effective way to reduce waste is further up the waste cycle.

That’s why policy is so important. We need to reduce and reuse first, then talk about recycling and waste management. In order for this to work, we need governments and businesses working together with the proper supply chains.

That is why Zero Waste Gainesville focuses heavily on policy change. And in 2019, Gainesville took the first step by banning plastic straws and stirrers.

Then in 2020, a subcommittee was formed to write up the first draft of the Zero Waste Ordinance. The resulting action plans will be rolled out over the coming years, but we encourage you to get involved and support the initiative to ensure our city continues its journey toward sustainability. Stay tuned with Zero Waste Week to learn more about how you can support the Zero Waste Ordinance.

Next steps include curbside compost collection for both private residences and businesses, curbing student move-out waste, and diverting grocery store and food vendor waste streams.

What Zero Waste Week – Gainesville means to you:

As a citizen, this is a great opportunity to get informed, get involved, and help move Gainesville in the direction you want to see it go.

As a business owner, this the perfect opportunity to find out more about what a Zero Waste Ordinance would mean for your business.

“There is no such thing as ‘away’. When you throw something away, it must go somewhere.” – Annie Leonard

Check out these Zero Waste Resources with guides to reducing waste in all aspects of your life, plus finding local thrift stores, and how to compost.

And don’t forget to sign up for the Zero Waste Week daily newsletter!