The term ‘zero waste’ has been on my mind lately. Working with EH&S (Environmental Health & Safety), Operations and procurement to divert waste from landfills and maximize their value is what we do at RecycleMatch. So, I thought I had a pretty good understanding of what it meant. But, when I was invited to speak on the subject at Sustainable Brands, my preparation proved that there are many definitions out there.
The audience that I’ll be addressing includes many Fortune 500 corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability experts. Much of their focus is on communications with the various company stakeholders including customers about their green initiatives. They are the folks who announce that manufacturers ranging from General Motors to Diageo Beverages have set and/or achieved their zero waste goals. My favorite proclamation was “Ralphie’s Green Stampede”, a program promoting zero waste at Colorado University’s football field. But they know a lot more than just marketing spin, since it is their job to decipher what is credible enough to announce publically.
Wikipedia’s definition of zero waste seemed a light in the facts, as there was more commentary about who coined the phrase instead of what it means or how to achieve it. My next step in researching what people meant by zero waste was the many green minded social media groups that I’m involved in. The answers I got back ran the gamut. One person noted the importance of setting high goals even if everyone knew they were not likely to be achieved. One expert focused on the household waste and fun crafts that you could do with left over house hold items. Another on the value of state-mandated bottle bills. One person emphatically reinforced the importance of anti-litter. (I had no idea how many people were killed each year by highway litter.)
The best input I got was to change the subject! While that works at cocktail parties, it might not work on a stage where I’ve been promoted as speaking on the specific subject of zero waste. But, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to change the subject. Away from zero waste, towards 100% utilization of resources.
After all, to actually gain lasting value from diverting materials from landfills, we actually have to go through the steps of reducing resource use, reusing all of the materials that we can, and recycling those that we cannot directly use. When the focus is on zero waste, there are short-cuts. But when the focus is on maximizing the value of the materials, we are forced to think through the entire life-cycle of the materials and resources that we are using.
As I’m putting the finishing touches on my presentation, I’m always open to more input. Feel free to email me your thoughts about zero waste, 100% resource utilization, or what you feel is most relevant.