What is a One Planet Lifestyle? Zero Waste explained

Buffets are possibly one of the most wasteful serving styles in the catering world, but whether it be at school camp, a wedding, a conference, or Pizza Hut in the early 90’s, it’s likely you’ve experienced them. If so, you’d also be familiar with those people who have no concept of portion control or the queue behind them, completely smashing your favourite dish before you get so much as a look in.

Right now, that’s us. We are treating the planet like a resource smorgasbord, with seemingly no regard for posterity. So much so, that if the entire population lived like an average Australian, we would need 4.2 Earths to support it.

The good news is that not everyone is living that way. A One Planet Lifestyle is acknowledging that we have only one Earth and we are therefore making daily choices to not only live within its means, but are also care-taking it for future generations. Striving for a circular economy.

A One Planet Lifesltye is not a new a concept. It’s been around for as long as we’ve had environmentalists. What’s changed though in recent years is that it is gaining traction. A growing population and climate change are forcing people to wake up smell the CO2, and seriously question their way of life.

Additionally, Zero Waste influencers such as Bea Johnson and Lauren Singer are bringing Zero Waste into public view through their blogs and social media.
Whilst Zero Waste focuses primarily on reducing the amount or rubbish we produce, it makes up a significant part of the ‘Living Green’ movement.

It’s almost impossible to be completely zero waste and as we are all indirectly contributing to the problem through transportation, manufacturing and infrastructure. However, both Bea and Lauren can each fit their annual household waste into a mason jar; this can be intimidating if you are just starting out on the journey, but also incredibly inspiring once you get going. To achieve close to zero waste, Bea and her family have been living by the five ‘R’s’ for the past decade; Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot.

Refuse what you do not need - If you want to minimise your output, limit the inputs. A good place start is saying ‘No’ to freebies, samples and junk mail.

Reduce what you do need - Australia’s waste generation is growing at twice the rate of the population. We are consuming way more than we need. Completing a stocktake of what we have and making lists helps to stay on track.

Reuse by using reusables - Single use is out, reusables are in. There are many single use items, particularly in the plastic world that can be replaced with reusables. Here are 9 easy swaps to get you started.

Recycle / Repair what you cannot refuse, reduce, or reuse - Sometimes we are too quick to dispose of damaged or faulty items. Look at repair options first. If that’s not possible, check with your local council what your recycling options are.

Rot (compost) the rest - If left to rot in landfill, food lets off methane, which is 25 times more potent than the C02 produced by cars. There are composting solutions for everyone, even if you have no backyard or outdoor space.

When I first delved into the Zero Waste world, it was both an exciting and shameful for experience for me. I was enthused about finding smart and sustainable ways of living but equally embarrassed by my conduct over the past three decades. I’d never really stopped and considered my own personal ecological footprint. That everything I do has an environmental impact. Everything I have ever bought or consumed has come from this planets resources. Everything I have ever ‘thrown away’ is somewhere on this earth decomposing, or worse, almost exactly how I left it and leeching chemicals into our soil and waterways.

I’ve turned down a road of no return. I can’t ‘un-know’ what I have learnt and I can’t un-see the direct ecological impacts of my personal and choices and actions. But I can change. Every day I discover a new piece of information on the topic. At times I still find it challenging as I experiment with different options, but that’s what makes it fun.

A One Planet Lifestyle is not just a concept, it is a movement, with growing momentum.