Bellisima Goddess » zero waste

Bellisima Green Challenge–Day 4 (More On Zero Waste) September 11, 2009

Donna Mazzitelli — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:51:48 +0000

There are some startling statistics to consider when we think about zero waste. Some of what I’ve discovered this week is listed below:

DID YOU KNOW…

On average, every pound of materials we take to the curb (as trash or recycling) equals 71 pounds of waste created during extraction, manufacturing, and production. That’s 70 pounds of waste we never see! In 2007, 136,000 tons of trash from Austin, Texas’ residential customers ended up dumped, smashed and covered up. To put that number into perspective, it would be like trying to bury the world’s largest cruise ship!

Americans throw away over 100 million tons of paper each year!

Municipal waste accounts for, at most, 20% of the waste we generate. Almost 95% of industrial materials become waste before a product is manufactured, and 80% of what we make is thrown away within SIX MONTHS of production!

E-waste (discarded computers and other consumer electronics, including cell phones) is the fastest growing portion of our waste stream–growing almost 3 times faster than our municipal waste stream. The National Safety Council estimates that there are 300 to 500 million obsolete computers in the US, ready for disposal. Likewise, hundreds of millions of televisions that have been sold over the past 50 years have become obsolete. One hundred thirty million cell phones are retired each year.

In 1990 the Coca-Cola Company promised to begin making plastic soft drink bottles sold in the United States with 25 percent recycled plastic). Today, the company sells over 25 million plastic soda bottles in the U.S. every day – using almost no recycled plastic. In a year’s time, 10 billion plastic Coke bottles that contain over 800 million pounds of virgin plastic are discarded. And 64 percent of all used soda bottles become waste or litter — largely because Coke refuses to “close the loop” by taking them back and using them again.

Since waste is a sign of inefficiency, the reduction of waste usually reduces costs. For example, Hewlett Packard in Roseville, CA reduced its waste by 95% and saved $870,564 in 1998. Epson in Portland, OR has reduced its waste to zero and has saved $300,000. Interface, Inc. in Atlanta, GA has eliminated over $90M in waste. Xerox Corp., Rochester, NY has had a Waste-Free Factory environmental performance goal since the early 1990s. The criteria include reductions in solid and hazardous waste, emissions, energy consumption, and increased recycling. Savings were $45M in 1998.

Zero Waste is good for the economy: Studies show that 10,000 tons of solid waste can create 4 composting jobs, 10 recycling jobs, and up to 250 reuse jobs…but only one landfill or incinerator job.

So as I ponder all this very compelling data, I am reminded that if I, as one individual, really work at reducing waste in my own life, and if you, as another individual, do the same, change can happen. As the owners of “Life Without Plastic” state, it really is a matter of imagination, determination and discipline. To me, that means becoming a more conscious consumer as well as a conscientious one. It is taking the time to pause and determine if a purchase is really necessary and to look at how this will benefit or impact my life and our environment. It also means supporting businesses that are striving to create less waste in their manufacturing and packaging processes as well as providing products that are built to last.

Is the goal really to create NO WASTE? Not really. That’s an unrealistic goal and one that will set me up for failure. But if I can reduce the waste in my life and in my home as well as help my community move toward a new value of reduced waste, then I will consider that I’ve been successful.

FOR TODAY…I will continue to look for ways to reduce waste. I will support businesses who are trying to leave less of an environmental footprint. I will evaluate potential product purchases, asking whether they are really necessary or impulse-driven because I want to have the “latest and greatest.” When a purchase is to be made, I will also take into consideration how it is packaged–for instance, there are companies who are using packaging materials that dissolve and are biodegradable (we at Bubble Goddess are doing that). I will also continue the practices I’ve already put in place: bringing reusable bags to stores and additionally, using net drawstring produce bags at the grocery store; using a travel coffee mug rather than throwaway coffee cups; and using an in-home water filter and our own stainless steel reusable water bottles rather than purchase plastic bottled water.

Bellisima Green Challenge–Day 2 (Retro is More than Chic!) September 9, 2009

Donna Mazzitelli — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:54:44 +0000

I promised to address plastic. This is a huge subject area, so for today, I will look at it from the aspect of Zero Waste and food storage.

Beginning to store our leftovers in glass or ceramic requires changing a pattern of behavior. Instead of reaching for that plastic storage container with the perfectly fitting plastic lid or rather than rip off a piece of plastic wrap to cover that dish, I just have to reach for the dishes! By doing this at home, I’m already eliminating waste!

But this becomes more of a challenge when I’m packing a lunch for myself or my family or when I’m putting together a picnic or food for an outdoor eating event. It’s really not feasible to send glass in a lunch box or picnic basket. So, what can I do instead? For sandwiches or other small items that I would normally put in a plastic sandwich bag, I can take some clues from the past. How about using good old-fashioned, natural wax paper just like my mom used to use? And if I don’t want to hassle with folding the sandwich in waxed paper, I can purchase waxed paper sandwich bags.

Natural waxed paper can be composted and degrades quickly. I want to make sure and buy a natural rather than a petroleum based coating so we need to be careful about which brand we purchase. Bags made with a petroleum based coating, like plastic, are not biodegradable. Waxed paper and paper bags coated with paraffin are a better option. Natural Value, both paraffin coated and widely available at health food stores, is a good brand to look for.

By using natural waxed paper, I am not only reducing waste but I am also putting all that organic food that we consume in our home into non-toxic packaging for myself and my family–keeping my family further protected!

As for larger needs for outdoor eating, I can also do something that was done even longer ago…wrap our food in large cloth napkins. This can work well for whole fruit and baked goods–it’s even more special when the baked goods inside are homemade (less energy being used than if I buy something that was transported to my local grocery store and more than likely packaged in plastics). The cloth napkins can look very chic–I especially like the large, thick cotton styles in plaids or bold prints.

For items such as salads, I guess I have to resort to storage containers. This is going to take a bit more research so I’ll save this for tomorrow.

In the meantime…

DID YOU KNOW…the first plastic sandwich bags were introduced in 1957? Department stores started using plastic bags in the late 1970’s and supermarket chains introduced the bags in the early 1980’s. AND…Each year, Americans throw away about 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags (only 0.6 percent of plastic bags are recycled)!

FOR TODAY…I will add natural wax paper and wax paper sandwich bags to my grocery list and begin using them for our packed lunches. I will use up the plastic sandwich bags we have left in our house and as I dispose of them, I will tear off the zipper/sealer top and throw that in the garbage (sad, but true). I will add the rest of the bag to my recycling. When we next go on an outdoor picnic, I will store our fruit and baked goods in waxed paper or cloth napkins. Tomorrow, I’ll look at transportable storage containers…

Going Green on Labor Day! September 8, 2009

Donna Mazzitelli — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:55:43 +0000

I began yesterday as promised to challenge myself to a new “green” task…ZERO WASTE!

In our home, we do a great job of recycling–especially because it is supported in our community. We have bins that are picked up weekly, along with our garbage, to encourage us to recycle paper, plastic, cans, and glass. But this really isn’t doing enough. Linda Christopher of the GrassRoots Recycling Network states, “Recycling is important, but it takes place too far down the waste stream. By the time something can be recycled, we’ve already used up water and energy, created pollution, and caused deforestation. If we really want to make a change, the important decision points are not after we’ve brought a product into our homes–it’s ‘upstream, where the product is made…and even further out–where it was designed. We need to stop managing waste and start eliminating it.”

So this is what “ZERO WASTE” is all about. It doesn’t mean that we are expected to produce no waste! But it’s a way of going beyond recycling, formally acknowledging that waste isn’t inevitable–that it can be reduced by designing it out of the system in the first place!

So this week, I’m going to focus each day on a new way to change my household “systems” in an effort to have less waste. I’m also going to give you and me a new stat each day to ponder…

DID YOU KNOW…”As of 2005, nearly 70% of the U.S. municipal waste was dumped in landfills or burned in incinerators; only 30% was recycled?! A 70/30 ratio may not sound bad, but Americans create almost 2 tons of waste per person every year. That comes to over 400 million tons of municipal waste–two-thirds of which is thrown away.” 50simplethings.com/zerowaste

FOR TODAY (started yesterday)…I will avoid using plastic wrap, baggies, and aluminum foil as much as possible to wrap and store food items. Today, I will cover leftovers with a dinner or lunch plate on top of the bowl or plate of food. I will store my leftovers in glass/ceramic containers (more about plastic tomorrow…).