Zero Waste Wednesday: Zero Waste Pioneer

You may have heard of Bea Johnson. After all, she has given 400 talks in 70 countries and 6 continents, and she literally wrote the book on being zero waste. She’s well known for the mason jar that holds all her family’s annual trash.

Reducing your waste down to a single mason jar–that you share! With three other people!--might not seem realistic to everyone. But with Bea’s tips on how to make small zero-waste adjustments, anyone can find ways to reduce their trash. Underlying the many suggestions she has for eliminating unnecessary waste is the following principle: the 5 Rs of Zero Waste.

You may be familiar with three of them–reduce, reuse, recycle–but you may be less acquainted with “refuse” and “rot”. Refuse is simple–though not always easy. Refuse what you don’t need. Say no to that receipt that will only end up at the bottom of your purse or on the floor of your car. Regift, donate, or sell well-intended gifts that you know you’ll never use. Don’t accept freebies like event t-shirts and cheap water bottles if you don’t need them.

And rot–well, if you’re not familiar with rot, you’ve come to the right place! Rot refers to composting, and if you’re not already composting, KC Can Compost can help you get started.

Don’t let the idea of fitting a year’s worth of trash into a single mason jar overwhelm you. Bea Johnson’s tips for reducing your personal footprint are inspiring, practical, and accessible.