The Nuances of No Waste November

The Nuances of No Waste November

Alex and Mercy at a tabling in paresky
EcoReps got the word out about No Waste November by tabling at the beginning of the month!

This month, the EcoReps team at the ZCE oriented our work around the theme of No Waste November. In researching this initiative and engaging in various waste-related projects, we became increasingly aware of the nuances in addressing the waste issue.

Rethinking the Zero-Waste Ideal

To many, a waste-free lifestyle conjures up images of bamboo utensils, package-free grocery stores, reusable bags, and shampoo bars. It’s a picturesque ideal that can make a zero-waste lifestyle feel unattainable. The result is that many are either steered away from waste reduction efforts as a whole, or they feel that their contributions are minimal at best. In reality, though, a waste free lifestyle is nearly impossible to actually achieve, despite what people on the internet may suggest. To ask individuals to stop consuming in a capitalist society places the blame on the wrong party and sets an unrealistic expectation, potentially turning people against environmentalism. Rather than altering your habits completely, one of the best ways to reduce your environmental impact is by reducing the amount of waste you produce where possible. An effective way to do this is by practicing consumption control, and by thinking through your decisions on what you buy and where you buy it from. 

Practical Steps Toward a Low-Waste Lifestyle

The theme of No Waste November sets a goal of limiting how much waste you produce, and ideally ending the month with a few new habits to continue affecting change. However, living waste-free is as much about how you go about it as it is about what exactly you’re doing. It is easy to be misled into thinking that one choice is more sustainable than another because we have so many preconceptions about what sustainability should look like. If you wanted to buy products with less plastic packaging but then drove to a grocery store or farmer’s market that is significantly farther away to do so, that isn’t necessarily an eco-friendly action, because you’re likely increasing your carbon footprint by spending more time in the car. Instead, an ideal change to make in this scenario would be to pick out products at your local grocery store that are sustainably farmed and/or packaged. This includes buying produce that is local and in season, limiting your consumption of animal products, and being diligent about making sure the packaging is disposed of properly. 

a rack of halloween costumes with a bin for clothes donations
To steer students away from unnecessarily buying new things, EcoReps collected old Halloween costumes throughout the month of November as part of an ongoing project involving annual costume swaps in collaboration with the Free Store.

The Hidden Costs of “Eco-Friendly” Choices

It’s also important to be aware of the environmental cost of “sustainable” products, because they might not be as innocent as they seem. Take reusable cotton tote bags, for example. Contrary to what you might think, these bags can actually be worse for the environment than single-use plastic bags! While using a reusable tote bag does help prevent plastic pollution, a 2018 study from Denmark found that a single tote bag needs to be used 20,000 times to offset the environmental cost of its production. That would mean using the same bag every day for 54 years. This is because cotton is a water-intensive material to produce, so despite the fact that brands stores and restaurants often use reusable bags as a way to show their alliance with environmentalism, they’re not a great item to collect unless you’re planning on using them frequently. How many tote bags do you have? How many do you use? The next time you think about buying a new tote bag, remember that the most environmentally-friendly bag to use is one that you already own! 

When buying new things, a good way to think about how environmentally friendly your options really are is to ask yourself about the cradle-to-grave life cycle of whatever product you’re about to purchase. What materials were made in its production? What kind of company are you buying it from? How long will the product last? Will you use it regularly? What about the packaging of the product—how will you dispose of it? It’s a lot to consider, but even though it’s unrealistic to do in-depth research about each and every product that you buy, it’s still a good practice to keep these ideas in mind when you’re making purchases. 

Sustainability in Action: Movie and Craft Nighta group of students gathered around a screen

As part of No Waste November, the ZCE EcoRep interns hosted a Movie and Craft Night, where sustainability, snacks, and good vibes took center stage. The night began with an introduction to No Waste November and a screening of The Story of Plastic—an eye-opening documentary about plastic pollution, its disproportionate impacts, and potential solutions. But the evening didn’t stop there. While the movie was on, we also brought out old magazines and craft supplies to create collages with. Each participant created visual masterpieces inspired by what sustainability and waste reduction meant to them.

After the documentary, we gathered for a group discussion, sharing thoughts sparked by the film and the hands-on crafting session. Some participants reflected on the documentary’s hard truths, while others noted how creating something tangible helped them reimagine waste reduction. Events like this highlight the importance of community in tackling environmental issues. Learning about sustainability isn’t just about knowledge—it’s also about making connections and creating a sense of collective responsibility. 

a group of students holding their collages

A Balanced Approach

The last thing that environmentalists want is to turn people away from making environmentally conscious decisions, but promoting the idea of a no-waste lifestyle can have this unintended effect. Some individuals can lean so far into the idea of zero-waste that they might inadvertently end up polluting more. Others might be dissuaded from the start because the idea of a zero-waste lifestyle feels so unachievable in today’s world. But the idea of No Waste November shouldn’t feel like a burden, and there’s no such thing as being a “perfect” environmentalist. With the theme of No Waste November, we, the EcoReps, want to encourage students and community members to think twice about the choices they make. So, what steps can you take? Start by rethinking your own casual consumption habits, and remember that reducing your personal waste often begins with mindful purchasing decisions. Don’t feel like your personal environmental efforts have to be “all-or-nothing” – when it comes to living a more sustainable lifestyle, small changes can lead to big differences! 

 

Written by Morgan Eigel & Divya Sijwali, ZCE EcoReps