GREEN GIRLS

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Kathryn

Going Zero Waste

How deeply has your health been influenced by your lifestyle?

When I was in college, the doctors found an abnormal tumor growth in my left breast. The experience really got me thinking about what I put in and on my body. I started overhauling everything: eating more plant based and cooking from scratch, making my own cleaning products to get rid of unsafe chemicals. So, I discovered the ill effects of plastic on our and our planet’s health. That was when I decided to quit plastic. Eventually, that decision led me to zero waste. Leading a zero waste or low-waste lifestyle has improved my personal wellness even more. I’m eating a nutrient rich diet full of local and fresh produce. My skin looks better, my body feels better, and I have more energy. My mental health has improved, too. I’m doing things with intention, slowing down, and simplifying.

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Shia

Wasteland Rebel

Do you think that being vegetarian/vegan is an obvious passage in order to be zero-waste?

For me, being vegan and living a zero waste lifestyle are both part of something bigger: trying to not live at the expense of others. Both concepts do complement each other well, but also have a very different focus.For most vegans, the motivation is to treat animals ethically and to not support animal cruelty. It might not be about the environmental impact of factory farming. Neither do I condemn zero wasters who buy animal products, since the focus of zero waste lies in eliminating the plastic and non-recyclable waste generated. It is a very individual choice, and sometimes only a matter of where to start from. There are many options to reduce one’s impact on the earth: go for what suits the most your lifestyle!

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Julia

Kalemoss

What’s your secret being green, not only when travelling?

I think it is important to be consistent and sustainable. Consistency in your actions, such as bringing totes when you shop or re-using glass jars at every opportunity, makes a big difference. Sustainability is also key. Being ‘green’ does not necessarily mean an overhaul of your house, throwing away non-eco items in favour of eco-friendly products. It’s about working what is best for your lifestyle – whether that means going the full way and making your own cosmetics or just simply implementing up cycling more into your everyday ventures. 

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Danielle

No Need For Mars

Could you keep the green resolutions till now?

My green resolutions have certainly been on track. I am about 7 months without using shampoo: I wash with a low-poo twice a week, as well as water washing and vinegar rinses. I wash my face with natural oils, as well as use a sustainable makeup. My wardrobe now consists of secondhand clothes and, if new, sustainable and industry-changing company designs that use sustainably sourced fabrics. What is exciting, however, are the green resolutions at my workplace, like switching my department to loose leaf tea. And that is just one project of many! I have a long way to go to “zero wasting” the home I share with my family. Baby steps are okay: it’s a change in perspective that is really effective!

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Marie

GitteMary

Is there any funny episode related to your zero-waste experience? 

The funniest thing about my zero waste journey is actually its beginning, as I am not raised in an eco-friendly family and have never received any education on the subject. I starting blogging 5 years ago, about beauty and fashion and my blog took me to Fashion week in Copenhagen where I worked as a freelance photographer for several magazines and designers. Everything concerned consumerism, what to buy and how expensive it was. My past world could not have been further away from my present. I usually tell this story whenever I give a lecture on Zero Waste, because it teaches people that it is never too late to change your ways.

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Jessie

Tiny Yellow Bungalow

Do you think that being vegan is an obvious passage in order to be zero-waste?

I don’t think going vegan is a necessary step in going zero waste, but I do think the two lifestyles complement each other. Both are environmentally and ethically conscious lifestyle choices. I think a lot of zero wasters tend to be vegan for that very reason. Going vegan is a huge step in helping the environment and I would definitely encourage others to go for it! However, I don’t think being vegan is obligatory to lead a zero waste life.

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Cheryl

No Harm, No Waste

Do you think that being vegan/vegetarian is an obvious passage in order to be zero-waste?

To answer your question: Being vegan/vegetarian isn’t necessarily an obvious passage to living a Zero Waste lifestyle, although it makes it considerably easier. Zero Waste and Veganism compliments each other as both contribute to a greener lifestyle, and to me it makes sense that a zero waster will be vegan, and vice versa. That said, there are however many non-vegan Zero Wasters who actively promote a Zero Waste Lifestyle too.

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Chloé

Conscious by Chloé

What is your next step in the zero-waste journey?

– learn how to make my own tortillas
– negotiate with my landlord to cancel the garbage pick-up subscription
– continue growing my veggie garden
– teach workshops (bulk buying, DIY cosmetics & cleaning products)

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Erin

The Rouge Ginger

Did you organize your zero-waste wedding?

Yes, I did organise a zero waste wedding. I didn’t do it alone, my husband helped me too.

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Ree

Fort Negrita

What are the basic rules you follow in order to be green also traveling?

Traveling can get really wasteful, after all, most of our trash comes from items we consume on-the-go. The best advice for avoiding waste while traveling is preparation which starts with pre-planning research. Ask really good questions ahead of time like ‘is there a nearby grocery store with a bulk section?’, ‘can I check in without a paper ticket?’ or ‘is there potable drinking water available?’ Based on what you find, pack accordingly, allot time for specific stops and if you are traveling with others, make sure they are on board with your zero waste pursuits. During the trip stay focused on your trash free commitments, and if anything goes awry, come up with amazing solutions that are worth telling your grandkids about.

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Lauren

Trash Is For Tossers

What are the three-never-forget steps for a zero waster? 

“Make your home your sanctuary. For me, it means having a few things that are really important. Most of mine were either handed down to me or secondhand!”
“Minimize.Ask yourself, what do I not need? What did I buy last year that still has tags on it? Whatever it is, it most likely has a value of some sort. Whether it is donating, or selling your products at a consignment store, you can always get a return on your items.”
“Think Organic, think Local, think Sustainable and BUY IN BULK.”

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Celia

Litterless

Why do you think recycling is not enough?

“It comes back to those 31 spoons – let’s say they’re recyclable. Well, then, sure, they won’t sit in a landfill. But that’s only half the equation. It doesn’t take into account all of the materials and energy needed to produce what is still essentially a single-use, disposable object. Which is why recycling is only part of what’s needed to create a sustainable word.”

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Jo

Threadsuk 

What’s the first step for zero waste awareness?

“Analyse your bin! What are the things I use that I can’t recycle? And are there any ways I can stop using those things that creates so much of this rubbish? The challenge is tricky. It throws up many dilemmas and challenges that I don’t have all the answers. I’m understanding that this will require time and commitment. There are days when I wonder if this amount of effort is really worth it. This is a part of my worship of Jesus, to seek justice by caring for creation. Because the world needs prophets, early adopters, who refuse to accept the world the way it is and will pioneer a new path for others to follow.” 

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Rachel

The Forage Life

Is there a episode that made you go zero-waste?

“I didn’t have a good answer for myself and so now, I don’t bin them. The one packet I bought at the beginning of last year hasn’t been replenished (and won’t be). Instead, each sandwich bag is washed and pegged to my windowsill ready to be reused. Zero waste is something I’ve been toying with for the last couple of years and the more time I spend thinking about it, the more I realise it’s kind of not optional for me. Not if I love this earth we call home like I say I do. That means having to make changes that are pretty counter-cultural but the good news is that there are many people who are nailing it already.”

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Annika

Unfuck Up This World

How did you start your zero waste journey?

“A very good starting point is to calculate your personal footprint on this earth. It’s a nice little tool (even though most of Europe isn’t on there yet), and it’s how I found out that I’m doing alright in terms of most things, but that our flat uses up a way too large portion of energy (non-renewable, to make matters worse!). You can access the calculator here. After finding out how many earths it would take if everyone lives like you, consider how many people actually DO live like you; and how many more people are a lot more careless than you!”

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Kaycee

The Zero Waste Girl

What do you do in order to be zero-waste?

“I’m just a 30 year old Utah girl trying to do my part in the world. I recently started living a zero waste lifestyle about a year ago. I purchased some reusable bags that didn’t quite do it for me. After figuring out what I didn’t like I decided to put my almost lifelong sewing skills to work and create some fun and durable 100% cotton bags of my own. When they worked out perfectly I decided to share the joy! Along with my bags, I also create other reusable items. My ultimate goal is to reduce the amount of plastic used in the world and to spread the joy of reusable items!”

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Pip

Refuge For Daffodils

What are your and your blog’s goals?

“I have been working on eliminating as much waste from my life as possible, as well trying to continue to work towards a more planet-friendly existence. My blog is about trying to find kinder ways of living, through reducing waste, finding alternatives, reducing my ‘stuff’, finding and cooking more local food and plant-based meals, and taking the time to appreciate the beauty in the environment around me.”

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Zany

ZanyGreenQuest

What are some of your favorite ways to avoid trash?

“I gave up plastic bags and another huge one for me was restaurant to-go containers. I take my own containers now. I’ve learned you have to be fast though or else the wait staff will plop a container on your table before you can protest, and once it touches the table I think they usually just throw it away. I also used those stupid plastic flossers, I hate imagining how many of those I’m responsible for in landfills.”

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Kimberly

Get Green, Be Well

What is the best advice you can give?
“As much as I talk and teach about choosing products that aren’t made with toxic materials, it’s not always easy to follow the healthy advice. Compromises always have to be made. I’ve bought stuff that certainly wasn’t green or eco. It’s not always a bad thing.
But then there are the reminders that this world isn’t always giving you what is best for your health. Just because something is available to buy, doesn’t mean that it’s safe or has been tested for the long term affects on your health.”

GREEN MOMMIES

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Bea Johnson

The Zero Waste Home

Your blog is certainly one of the most famous and the most inspiring ever. For sure, you are the mother of a worldwide movement which links everyone who wants to take the green living experience to the next step. Your blog is wide and there you can find tips for beginners up to pros. So,
What is the weirdest question that people use to make you about your lifestyle?

The latest, weirdest question I’ve got is: Do you omit accents on your French Instagram posts for minimalist reasons?

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Katelin & Tara

Pare Down Home

What are the biggest problem you’ve through managing a vegan&zerp-waste family? How did you resolve them?
My family is not vegan and I struggle with this at times. I have transitioned my life to do what I can to reduce my impact on the planet – to lead by example. My greatest motivation for everything I do is my children… yet I do not require the same of them? This is my struggle. I do not have an answer yet as to what the right way to move forward is so in the meantime our family has resolved to approach the consumption of animal products differently. One thing I have learnt through this process, both Zero Waste and choosing to eat compassionately (going vegan) is that this is very much the path that I am on and I cannot force anyone to live by my standards. Other than that, each challenge that has come up with this lifestyle usually always has a zero waste alternative or solution. It’s just about embracing a new way of doing things!

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Gemma

Barefoot On The Driveway

What are the daily difficulties of a zero waste family?
As a family we have been able to make great strides towards reducing our household waste by replacing all our single-use products with reusable (cloth) alternatives. But some changes are not so easy to make. Two our daily difficulties are dealing with packaging and junk mail. Even though we have a wonderful village co-operative which has bulk bins, packaging free fruit and veg, what really frustrates me is that many fruits in plastic bags are often much cheaper than their loose counterparts. It’s a real struggle between being frugal and making good waste choices. I can’t ever see us reaching the level of some zero waste homes but I am proud of the steps we’ve taken and will continue to make changes.

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Helen

Spot Of Earth

What are the basic rules to manage a zero-waste family?

I think the basic rules for managing a zero waste family are:

1. Don’t try to make too many changes at once. Take baby steps and change one thing at a time, moving on to the next when it feels part of your routine. Zero waste is a journey, not a destination.

2. Be prepared to compromise with your children. You might not be able to convince them to be totally zero waste, but meet them halfway and they’ll be more likely to support your efforts and come round to your way of thinking.

3. Do what you can, when you can. It’s important to help the environment and save the planet, but it’s also important to lead a happy life: don’t stress about those times when you don’t quite manage it.

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Claire

Zero Waste

What was the episode that made you wanted to re-think your lifestyle?

I was raised by some pretty eco conscious parents in the 80’s but I decided to really rethink the way I was consuming in seriously reducing my amount of trash, recycling and the products I needed to buy (promoting the circular economy) in 2010 when my oldest child was born

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Rachelle

My Zero Waste

What are the 3 things that a community should do in order to reach visible results in the medium term?

EDUCATION and AWARENESS: Raise awareness and increase knowledge through educational workshops, events and visits

IMPROVE RESOURCES: Look at accessible recycling and composting options. Find ways to shop in a more zero waste way such as introducing local markets / community hubs where supplies such as reusable bottles and bags along with the opportunity for people to shop using their own containers can be introduced. Then add more self-sufficient ways of living such as a food growing / garden sharing.

LEARN AND NORMALISE: Look into what other communities are doing, what is working, and what is feasible to implement in your own community and continue with regular meetups, events and drop-in help sessions to gradually normalise zero waste behaviours.

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Vicky

Homegrown and Foraged

What do you think is the most difficult step to go through when starting to live greener and greener?

I think one of the difficult things is that making non-green choices has now become the convenient norm and choosing differently can be perceived as a little odd or eccentric, even where in many cases it involves going back to the way we used to do things before huge supermarkets and accompanying marketing.

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Inge

Gruenish

What are the basic rules to manage a zero-waste family?

The basic rules for me are:

1. it has to be easy enough and fun for everyone or they (the family members) won’t participate
2. a great 2nd hand shop for baby / kids clothing not too far away is necessary
3. cute reusables are loved much more than disposable stuff

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Heidi

The Fallible Warrior

What are the basic rules to manage a zero-waste family?

There are challenges to family life: my family is not passionate about this. They still believe ‘recycling’ is doing enough. Being the ZW advocate in the family takes resolve, constant updating, lots of vigilance. Anyone who embarks on this lifestyle needs to know they will be climbing a rocky path, with not only the wider community but also, loved ones misunderstanding their actions of reform. I named my blog the Fallible Warrior to allow myself space to grow, fail, improve and adapt our household. We simply don’t miss ‘things’ and this promotes family interaction. We might think we need all those material belongings – but as a mother, shifting the emphasis away from that really improves daily life.

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Ashley

Whistle Pig Hollow

How much is your childhood related to the zero-waste journey you are on now?

“When you grow up in a place like Ocean Springs, it’s hard not to love the outdoors, the environment, and the water, and it’s even harder not to share that love. So when I was 15 I began volunteering at a children’s educational summer camp. When I headed off to college, then, it only made sense to combine my favorite subject- math- with my love of nature. So I majored in geological engineering and get a master’s in hydrology. I spent several years in grad school writing and teaching science curriculum for local schools. I went on to work as an engineer in both the public and private sector before leaving my career to stay home with our first child.”

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Emma

Mommy Emu

Can you describe one of the first steps you’ve been through starting to be zero waste?

“Even though we have been making lots of changes kinder to the environment the way we live our lives but our lives are hectic and stressful.
But our lives don’t need to be this hectic or stressful if we lived a more simple life.
The first part of our journey to live a simple lifestyle I tackled our kitchen by clearing out all the clutter and putting everything in an order that was easy to use and maintain.”

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Micaela

Mindful Momma

How did your zero waste journey started?

“Before I had kids, I didn’t worry much about natural living. Than I began researching the health risks and benefits of everything from food to gear to cleaning products and quickly became overwhelmed. So I started making lifestyle changes and product swaps that were healthier and more natural. Slowly but surely, small changes turned into habits, and healthier choices became second nature. Instead of feeling stressed, I became more relaxed and confident that I was creating a healthy home and natural lifestyle for my family.”

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Lori

Groovy Green Livin’

What’s your mission?

“I’m a green living enthusiast and lifestyle writer, speaker, mother, borderline vegan and recovering attorney. It is my hope that we will all develop an awareness and understanding that our choices not only impact us as individuals but impact the planet as a whole. Once we have cultivated this awareness we will begin to make better choices in our daily lives that ultimately lead to a greener, healthier lifestyle.”

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Megan

Zero Waste Nerd

What’s your tip for a zero waste baby shower?

“It will be inevitable that you will get duplicates are items that don’t quite align with what you want so returning the gift for cash at the stores they were purchased is perfectly ok. We used the money we got for our exchanges on a convertible car seat – a very important baby accessory!”

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Karen

The Ribbish Diet

Can you make an example of zero food waste organization?

“The charity FareShare saves fresh, quality and in date surplus food destined for waste and sends it to charities and community groups who transform it into nutritious meals for vulnerable people, contributing on average £8,000’s worth of food per charity per year. Food waste in the UK is a scandal, with 15 million tonnes thrown away each year. Half of this waste comes from our homes and half from the supply chain as food as goes from field to shop.”

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Katy

The Non-Consumer Advocate

How is your green journey going?

“Since starting with “The Compact” I have worked very hard to de-clutter my house and this has very much helped me see how the mass of objects weighs a person down. Is my house clutter free now? Umm… Not quite, but I no longer spend such a huge amount of time keeping the house up. Having friends and family over (or even houseguests) is no longer the anxiety producing event that it once was”

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Beth

My Plastic-Free Life

How could you sensitize people about plastic waste?

“Living with less plastic is really not as hard as it seems, but our awareness of disposable plastic in our lives can be transformative. To that end, I threw down the gauntlet and invited readers to collect and tally their own plastic waste for a week and upload the results to a new Show Your Plastic Trash web site. How can we know where we need to go if we don’t know where we are to begin with? Solving the plastic pollution problem will require more than individual personal actions. But individual actions and personal awareness are essential for creating the kind of world in which we want to live and the impetus to spark bigger actions.”

GREEN GUYS

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Rob Greenfield

Rob Greenfield

I didn’t know you before watching your TEDtalk (which I suggest our reader to watch). It led me to your blog, which is an even more interesting, complete and mind blowing guide through food waste in USA and zero impact solution for a green lifestyle. 

What are the funniest questions somebody made about your lifestyle?
People ask me weird questions all the time but I can’t think of any that are really funny.
“Where do you go to the bathroom when it’s raining?”
“Because you don’t have much money, do you have any women interested in you?”
Those are two common ones.

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Jonathan

Zero Waste Guy

Do you think that being vegan is an obvious passage in order to be zero-waste?

I can probably talk your ears off on this one, but the short answer is that yes, it is hard to be a carnivore and claim zero waste status.This is something I struggled with for months. I was living what I considered to be a zero waste lifestyle but had this nagging feeling that there was still more to do. There are so many statistics out there (such as, it takes 600 gallons of what to make one cheeseburger), but they are so abstract and hard to comprehend. Once I started to break it down though, the choice became more much clear: if I want to have the biggest impact on the environment, I knew that I must go vegan.

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Seth

Green Living Guy

What are the most common questions you receive about going green?

There are usually two questions.
Either it’s: What’s the best Electrified car for me?
Or: What are the easy unknown things to go green in my home?
Answers depend on what they know and don’t. Then I help the person come up with the best green solution.

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Colin
Colin Beavan

What do you think will the future stages be?

“I am no eco-expert. I am just a liberal schlub who got sick of not putting my money where my mouth was. In a way, the whole project is a protest against my highly-principled, lowly-actioned former self. I’m fumbling through, trying to do my best and doing the research as I go along. My blog is my attempt to tell you how it’s going.”

GREEN ORGANIZATIONS

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Zero Waste Europe

Zero Waste Europe

What are the 3 things that a community should do in order to reach visible results in the medium term?

In our experience, communities manage to get significant impact when there’s a combination of three main factors:
– high political will
– involvement of citizens and civil society.
– a carefully designed strategy to minimize residual waste
We’ve also observed that big, expensive and very rigid facilities of waste disposal tend to create negative incentives for communities to transition from traditional waste management to zero waste. This is mostly the case of incineration: with its very long life and to be very expensive, so local powers don’t have incentives to close it earlier or shift away to recycling.

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Plastic Is Rubbish

Plastic Is Rubbish

Kate, what are the 3 things that a community should do in order to reach visible results in the medium term?

Recycling: it’s very important. But what happens when recycling actually adds to the problem? Plastic can be recycled but that costs time and money. And if they are not properly collected, and disposed of they can go on to pollute the environment. Buy loose and unpackaged products: you can easily cut plastic, you will need to supply your own packaging. Cotton produce bags are ideal and will save you having to dispose of hundreds of little plastic bags. Composting: you can build yourself a composter in the back garden and use compostable plastic bags. For food waste, get an enclosed system like the Green Johanna bin. By cutting what you send to landfill you also cut your carbon footprint.

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We talk rubbish

We Talk Rubbish

Jack, do you think that being vegan/vegetarian is an obvious passage in order to be zero-waste? 

Zero waste living is often grouped with other environmental lifestyle choices, such as vegetarianism or veganism, – and this is all good. One should expect that if someone cared about the impact our rubbish has on the planet then they should also care about the impact of the meat industry and other harmful practices. The big challenge is that, like it or not, people are slow to develop new habits and enjoy the feeling of routine and the small changes which people are willing to make should be encouraged. Meat-eating zero-wasters are heroes, as well as wasteful vegans. Together we’re challenging the status quo and provoking questions in our communities, and that is something to be celebrated.

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Leave No trace

Leave No Trace

What are your principal goals?

“Leave No Trace in Every Park.”
“Leave No Trace integrated into every youth and school program that take kids outdoors.”
“Every person who ventures outside puts leave no trace practices into action.”

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Zero Hunger Challenge

Zero Hunger Challenge

What are the immediate plans for ZHC?

“Within the 2030 Agenda, it is now the time to renew the call to action for zero hunger and malnutrition, and for the deep transformations required on agriculture and food systems to build an inclusive, safe, sustainable and resilient society. The ZHC provides a platform that brings together governments, civil society, the private sector, the United Nations system and others for collective impact in the area of food security, nutrition, and sustainable food systems.”

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Zero Waste Week

Zero Waste Week

What’s the zero waste week?

“Launched in 2008, the campaign is conducted almost exclusively online via this website, e-newsletters and social media.
Whilst Zero Waste Week formally runs for one week in September, regular newsletters and fresh blog content is sent out throughout the year. Our friendly online community shares practical experiences and suggestions about waste avoidance via social media to keep the discussion and learning process going.”

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Zero Waste North West

Zero Waste North West

Sara, what are the daily habits you gained after the trial zero waste week?

“I now shop differently, I choose different products that I didn’t notice before, I read the recycling information on the packaging and I am discovering new places to shop. I am baking my own cakes at home which has multiple advantages: it keeps the children entertained, the house smells great and the oven heats the kitchen. I am composting my kitchen scraps along with grass cuttings from the garden. I am learning to make my own toiletries and have switched to using the Mooncup.”