Souvenirs take up space on a trip, then the same amount of real estate upon unpacking at home. As a couple we have been pretty conservative over the past 15 years. My wife has unique magnets, a few from before we met, on the fridge. My favorite is a golden pig showing a cutaway of Pike Place Market (Seattle) in its middle. I favor pins and, more recently, stickers. Yet, as a family, we are hard pressed to pass up used books. One of my finds in particular from this summer vacation may be my catalyst to seriously consider a zero waste lifestyle.
Starting the day’s drive from a mountain lake near Pinedale, downtown Lander seemed a fitting spot to stretch our legs and find lattes. Though time did not allow for an extensive stroll, a sign down the block from our parking spot clearly announced “free books”. That, we could not pass up. The invitation came from a sign next to an open door at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). A guide, who I assume was giving a tour to a prospective student, could be heard mentioning that the school was making room in its library. There were a few random novels, however most of the offerings fit such an institution – including my short stack: “Cave Minerals of the World”, “Finding The Mother Tree”, and “The Zero-Waste Lifestyle, Live Well By Throwing Away Less,” by Amy Korst.
Keep Alliance Beautiful patrons often mention how much less trash they produce since incorporating recycling at home or their business. Personally, I have never talked to someone dedicated enough to reach the zero-waste threshold. If you have, let me know. A first-hand followup column would be fun to write.
At our house we recycle and compost, thrift and reduce, the same as others I know. Amy promotes reduce, reuse, recycle and rot. So, what is the next step? Part 1 of the book lays out a “home-waste audit to find out what’s in your trash”. This is helpful whether you are an avid recycler or someone opposed to the concept. Either way a series of checklists help chronicle the week’s waste room by room. In the bathroom, for instance, there may be a spent toothpaste tube in the waste can. Could this have been recycled? At our recycling center if it is entirely plastic and empty the answer is: yes, through the Hefty ReNew orange bag program. If the trash cannot be recycled is there a reusable option? The book explores particular trash-free challenges and emphasizes initial waste reduction goals.
I tend to become stuck in the nexus between what seems like an acceptable amount of waste, say significantly less volume than what is recycled/reused/ composted, and no waste at all. It truly is a lifestyle that the whole household must buy into. If a husband and wife are all in, older children must also see the value and tow the line.
Although everybody never does anything (except die), if everybody adopted the zero-waste lifestyle the impact would be revolutionary for the environment. The thing about used books is while advice may remain valuable the text can be like a time capsule. Amy’s book has a copyright of 2012. She showed a recent downward trend in pounds of waste produced per day by Americans. From 2.68 pounds in 1960 she showed a figure of 4.72 in 2000, and 4.67 in 2005. By 2010, Amy emphasized, “Americans were producing 4.43 pounds of waste a day and recycling or composting 1.51 pounds of this a day.” She cited the EPA’s “Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States”. The figure for 2024, is 4.9 pounds – unfortunately the wrong direction.
We can all set a waste reduction goal, then another . . . Keep Alliance Beautiful will take anything recyclable that a trash audit suggests your Dumpster could do without. Aiming for zero waste would undoubtedly put the recycling center past its goal of a million pounds in a year. For tips check out www.Green GarbageProject.com