A Beginner’s Guide to Zero-Waste

by: Maria Zaky

Recently, the zero-waste lifestyle has been trending. Although it has been there for ages, new terms are emerging to describe it, the green approach, circular economy, the recycling approach, the zero-waste lifestyle, the more natural living, the zero-plastic waste, and others. Many terms are being coined, but regardless of the name they choose, many people are going for it.

Simply, a zero-waste lifestyle means sending nothing to the landfill to move into a circular economy and write waste out of existence. We reduce what we buy, reuse it as much as we can, send little to be recycled, and compost what we cannot. We consume so much that recycling is no longer our best option, rather it should be our last resort. The order should be: refuse, reduce, reuse, then recycle. Hence, before making any purchase, a decision must be made as to whether this product is truly needed. Another approach would be checking the second-hand market first. When we fully feed products back into the system, we have what is called a circular economy.

This circular economy reflects nature unlike the prevailing linear economy where the Earth’s finite resources are subtracted, manufactured into products, and then thrown into a giant hole in the ground. A zero-waste lifestyle where little to nothing goes to waste helps to maintain the otherwise disturbed balance of earth.

Currently, there are multiple civil efforts to infuse the zero-waste concept in people’s daily life. Plastic-Free July is a global movement that helps millions be part of the solution to plastic pollution. It discourages them from buying plastic packaging throughout July through their “Top Four” challenge, no water bottles, no straws, no plastic bags, and no takeaway coffee cups.

The Arab World has also seen efforts to adopt a waste free approach; yet, it has not been without difficulty. Karim El Domiaty, the admin of Zerowaste Arabs Facebook group, described how it started back when he wanted to start leading a zero-waste movement. He failed to find any groups in Egypt that would support his idea. So, he started the Zero-waste Arabs initiative and found support in many Egyptians and Arabs who were eager to follow this approach. “My main motivation for creating this community was realising how my daily normal routine has fatal effects on the environment and how easily I can change that with simple alternatives through my daily decisions. That’s why I wanted to share the information I have and the things I do with other people who /share my interest through this group.” Karim said. “Anyone can participate in this lifestyle and share their experience with others through the Facebook group where people support each other to reach the perfect zero-waste life,” he added.

Another movement has also seen the light in 2018. Greenish is a youth-driven environmental movement that focuses on increasing individuals’ awareness and communities’ transformation towards sustainability. Greenish assesses, designs, and implements sustainable environmental solutions for companies, schools, NGOs, retailers, and restaurants. It officially started when two friends came together to raise awareness about everything environmental-related to not only Cairo, but all the other governorates. Greenish’s future vision is to have students’ activities in schools and colleges trained by their teams to implement the zero-waste approach. They also aim to empower 1 million environmental activists around the Middle East and Africa to lead Greenish events and clubs and advocate for climate action.

Road Map to Going Zero-Waste

A reusable water bottle instead of the plastic one. A thermal coffee mug instead of the disposable unrecyclable one. A reusable tote grocery bag. A glass, metal, straw or no straw instead of the oneuse straw. A washable cloth napkin instead of a paper napkin. A metal lunch box for children at schools, with adults at work, for restaurants’ leftovers. A bamboo toothbrush. Reusable cutlery and paper plates instead of using plastic. Beeswax wraps instead of plastic wrap for your sandwich.

Tips to Reduce Food Waste at Home:

Be aware of the proportion sizes while preparing. Freeze the leftovers for later. Most frozen food tastes just as delicious as it does when fresh, with few exceptions including milk-based products, fried foods, and vegetables with a high-water content such as lettuce, cabbage, or cucumbers. Freeze those fruits’ leftovers or the so-called “ugly” fruits and blend them later for tasty smoothies. Use the stale bread to make French toast. Use frozen bread leftovers as breadcrumbs over your Caesar salad. Compost certain foods and turn them into a nutrientrich fertilizer. When unpacking groceries, move older products to the front of the fridge and put new products in the back. Remember you can always donate it. Tips to reduce food waste in restaurants: Ask for smaller portions and bring home what you did not finish. Split big meals with friends. Give the rest to those in need when heading out of the restaurant.

Tips to shop smart:

Make a list and stick to it; do not just buy food because there is a sale. Limit your shopping time to be less than 40 minutes so as not to start shopping emotionally and buy stuff you don’t need. Shop at farmers markets instead of supermarkets to ensure freshness. Buy less food and shop often; it is so much better than shopping once a month and wasting too much food.