The 10Rs of Zero Waste are just a guide for you to follow and keep in mind whenever you are in the position of making decisions.
It contains 8 simple rules to help you become a Zero Hero. Click on each one for more information:
RECYCLE
In reality, recycling is not a good idea. Because the process itself of recycling implies a series of other processes that consume time, energy and resources and also releases some sort of waste. It should be considered a last resort!
Each country and city has its own recycling system. You need to find a way to inform yourself about the policies, who is in charge of them, where are their collecting points and if the system actually works for you and your family. If they don't, think about what you can do to change them. Send them a letter or check out their customer service support.
Some cities around the world are already taking the Zero Waste challenge seriously. Like California (USA), Vancouver (Canada), Kamikatsu (Japan), about 100 cities in Italy etc.
ROT
All the cooking leftovers, all the expired food and just about anything that is biodegradable (e.g. cardboard), can be composted and turned into fertilizer for our garden or farm.
Place a composting bin in your garden (or even a small composting bucket in your balcony if you live in an apartment). Don't forget to put one layer of compostable trash and one layer of "browns" (leaves or cardboard).
Talk to your local farmers and ask them if they agree to take your organic trash and compost it in order to be used as fertilizer.
Or learn how you can compost yourself, by clicking here. It's not as disgusting as it sounds and you can do it out of your own balcony with little effort and cost.
REPAIR
Our parents have experienced the pleasure of repairing whatever they can by themselves or having a neighbour over to help them repair their broken objects or electronics. Now we'd rather buy a new and improved version. But is it really better to buy something anew. Or does repairing has its own use and pleasure?
When your electronics get broken, search for a local shop than can fix them. Or, better yet, you can return them to their manufacturer and get them fixed. If fixing fails, some companies offer a discount if you returning the old ones and buy a new product.
Don't forget to look for the energy star when you buy electornics in the first place.
For everything else, try repairing by yourself, ask a neighbour to help, reach a specialised shop.
And if everything else fails, reuse!
The 10Rs of Zero Waste
REDUCE
Declutter your home. Sell or give away (don't throw!) stuff that you don't use as a regular basis or haven't used for 6 months. Especially do this with things that you can borrow. Like snowboards, golf clubs, drillers, lawn mowers, even cars! etc.
Minimize you space. Place in view only the things that you use regularly (every day) and store what you use less often (e.g. once a week). Everything that you use less than 6 months, you can borrow or rent.
Learn how Toyota minimizes its's employees' space by following their "red tag strategy".
REFUSE
In any circumstance you are in, ask yourself "Do I need this?" If the answer is "No", than don't accept it.
If the answer is "Yes", then ask yourself one more time "Do I really REALLY need this? Isn't there anything else in my house that might provide the same role?" And be creative!
Don't accept any junk mail, freebies, flyers, coupons that you don't intend to use, brochures, catalogs, magazines etc. Ask them if they have an onlie resource (e.g. a website) instead.
Talk to your friends about it and ask them to not give you any presents that might produce waste.
REDESIGN
You've tried everything, but still there are many things that you can't refuse, reuse, reduce, rent, recycle rot or repair. When you find such products, it's a good idea to contact the manufacturer and tell him your feelings about the impossibility of reduce waste with their product.
Ask your friends to help. The power of one is limited, but the power of many is limitless!
For the companies, if your product generates a lot of waste and cannot be released into the loop, then it's time to go back to the drawing board and redisign your product altogether. Learn about the cradle-to-cradle process and how to apply it to your company's products.
Also, check out what Japanese call the Kaizen process to boost up your manufacturing processes by reducing waste and costs. And Kansei design to help you reduce waste and improve your product.
RENT
There are some things you use on a regular basis (every day/week/month). But there are some other things you only need once every 6 months, once a year, or even less! (e.g. drillers, snowboards etc.)
Instead of spending money on something you only use once or twice a year, why don't you borrow them from a friend/neighbour or rent them at a specialized shop.
Become aware of your impulse shopping. Again ask yourself "Do I really really need this?"
Then see if you can rent any of them from other people/places when you need them.
And don't forget, maybe you already have something you can lend to others (e.g. lend out your house while you are on holidays).
6. Rent
7. Repair
8. Rot
9. Recycle
10. Redesign
REUSE
Many are the situations where we are about to throw away a product just because its intended use has gone. Your product now is either old, scratched, broken, ripped, rusted, outdated, outfashioned or just plain boring. And we want a new one. So far so good. But what do we do with the old product we don't want or need any more?
Instead of throwing it away, why not reuse it? Upcycle it, downcycle it or just change it so it has a completely different purpose. A jar can become a pencil holder. A tire can become a flower pot. A pair of ripped jeans can become a bag and so on.
You can enjoy your new product but at the same time you can repurpose your old one. Just think of all the possibilities!
REACH
I don't know about you, but I remember that when I was a child, my mom would always send me to the neighbour's to exchange eggs for yogurt. But these days we have very convenient supermarkets and stores and we don't need our neighbors' help any more.
Instead of relying so much on big corporations for everything, why don't we reach out to our neighbours and buy whatever they are selling too? Whether it's food they grew/cooked themselves, handmade objects/crafts or something they don't use any more. So, try to buy locally rather than from supermarkets or malls!
You not only save money, but you also get the chance to improve your social life, become friends with your neighbours, experience a great feeling of community and boost the local economy.
