My Issues With the Zero Waste Movement

The heart is in the right place, but it’s widely misjudged…

The zero waste movement was made with the best intentions. However, I feel that that many companies and brands have jumped on this wagon to make more money. People are more conscious of the environment, but the solutions lack depth. Banning plastic straws isn’t going to solve the plastics in the ocean. Companies telling us they’re gonna grow more trees dosen’t solve the deforestation crisis. What’s the point in telling us to recycle and reuse when it all ends in landfill anyway? I’m all for more ethical products on the market, but I do feel there’s a lot of hypocrisy and a dose of double standards.

Not as sustainable as you think

Sustainable has become a hot keyword when it comes to selling things. I know their intentions are good, but encouraging binge-buying and impulsive buying is not eco-friendly. One of the best ways consumers can shop in an eco-friendly manner is only buying things when you need them. Zero waste for many people, is unrealistic. It sounds extreme and can bring a sense of eco-anxiety to those trying to avoid plastic like the plague.

Encouraging Binge-Buying and eco-anxiety

Zero waste shopping requires a lot of planning. I am lucky that my local plastic free shop always has plenty of tupperwares and containers available and also have a box where people donate their old ones for free. Unless you have a list or an idea of how much you want, it’s easy to stockpile and get more than you actually need.

You don’t need a lot of shampoo bars. All the ones I’ve used have lasted between 2-6 months.

The biggest carbon footprints out there are from industrial factories and world leaders dropping bombs and misiles where they please is proof that they have no intention of combating climate change.

Lack of Access For Poor Households

Don’t feel bad about having to use a plastic bag if you forgot your reusable one. Telling us all to shop at farms and local shops is all good, but not everyone has a local shop or farm they can walk to. I am lucky to live in an area where I don’t need a car, but I know in other places where a car is essential.

Not everything can be recycled. Not everywhere has a system for good recycling. I think there should be more support for poorer households to get eco-friendly stuff. Everything should be eco-friendly and cost-effective. There are apps like TooGoodToGo and Olio, which are great, but they can only be fully utilised if more people know about them.

Premium Prices for Inferior Products

How many people do you know will spent $10 dollars on a (non-electric) toothbrush? It will need a serious unique selling point. I’ve seen the prices of some of the toothbrushes that are meant to be sustainable. One shop I went in, there was an ethical toothbrush for £7. You can buy a packet of three for a £1 in a pound shop. Isn’t it more sustainable to use what you already have?

Vegan cheeses can be much more expensive than their dairy counterpart. And there are some plant-based products that I feel are not worth the money they’re printed on. However, it’s a great feeling when you find a plant-based cheese that I actually like.

There’s also the issue of businesses claiming their products are eco-friendly when they’re being shipped to and from across the globe and made in factories with poor conditions. It’s counterproductive to buy a bamboo toothbrush from China, to be shipped to the USA, when you can just pick a toothbrush up at the supermarket.

Instead of striving for perfection, strive for improvement!

I was told at Vegan Campout even if you have just one plant-based meal a week, that makes a impact on the environment and your health.

The late great Tom Bradbury once wrote if you want to save the oceans, start with your garden. If you can’t look after yourself, or things in your close proximity, how are going to save the world? We shouldn’t feel bad if we don’t get it right most of the time. We shouldn’t judge or attack others based on their choices or what’s available to them.

We don’t get things right 100% of the time. This is my main issue with the zero waste movement is striving for the impossible instead of focusing on it’s main goal to improve the environment and make the planet a safer place to live in.

All in all, I’m a great supporter of this, but I think the movement requires a lot of improvement to make it more appealing.