WHY WE WASTE
I’ve recently been reflecting on why it feels so good to throw things away. There’s an element of freedom in it I think, lightening a burden, even a sense of relief we are no longer responsible for something that was in our charge. Out of sight, out of mind. But it’s well documented that away does not mean gone. There are many statistics out there that quantify the consequences of this freedom over the last few decades, but they are just numbers (1). For most, myself included, they mean very little beyond a sobering statistic we can’t really wrap our heads around and therefore have little interest in dwelling on. What I want to focus on instead is not the statistical side of this trend, but the behavioral one, and how it came to be.
We were not always a wasteful culture. Like so many aspects of the modern world, the system we have today was born, in part, out of war. In fact, prior to and especially during the Second World War the US was a highly frugal society. A consequence of depression era austerity, nothing was wasted in the decades leading up to the Great War. In her book Waste and Want: A Social History of Trash, Susan Strasser talks about the entire industry of pickers, salvagers, makers, and bricoleurs who would trade in used goods: searching, collecting, reusing, or crafting anything they could get their hands on. Clothes were well made and passed from sibling to sibling, furniture from generation to generation, and even excess fat was saved and mixed with lye to make soap at home. In large part people owned only what they needed to get by, and it extended across all levels of the socio-economic strata. Women of high society would often host sewing parties in the 1940’s to mend their own garments, unconscionable in an era of fast fashion. When the war broke out, Americans were encouraged by the Roosevelt administration and the War Production Board to collect materials for the cause: rags for uniforms, rubber for tires, scrap metal for tanks and machine parts. It was patriotic to collect and save, and schools would even host collection events, akin to the modern bake sale, all to help the brave men and women abroad. And Uncle Sam thanked you for doing your civic duty.
WPA poster from WW2
And then the conflict ended, and the country was out of the depression and booming. But the machines that made it all possible were still hungry, and so to keep the engine of prosperity humming the factories that produced tanks and shells shifted to producing ovens and microwaves. This time in a variety of stylish colors and sizes, and with new modern conveniences. Starting in the 1950s, products and advertisements, catering largely to women, focused on new consumer goods like reynolds wrap, washing machines, TV dinners, and even instant cake mixes. All designed to simplify your life, save time, and showcase the newfound affluence of the surging middle class. Reusable was slowly replaced with disposable, saving was replaced with spending, and where once there was tedium now there was free time. All the while, robust American made goods were replaced with cheap plastics, with the added benefit of increasing sales and keeping the barons of industry fat. Fast forward a few decades and the perfect storm of waste is born.
So the system we see today is working exactly as it was designed. It is convenient and easy to just throw something away when you’re done with it. We are used to it, and I think we’re addicted to it in some ways. But nothing is free, and the cracks in the system are becoming fissures. Everything comes at a cost, but for the last few decades we have been told that this is just the way it is.
So while we did not design this system, and it is not our fault as consumers that we are forced into a linear model where trash is the inevitable outcome, I hold on to hope that a system that was designed one way can be redesigned in another. And the foundations of a new reality already exist today. So below I offer some thoughts on a possible new reality, expanding on the 3 R’s, plus some resources I've collected over the years that have helped me make different choices when it comes to want and waste.
RE-THINK
The system today largely puts the onus on the consumer to deal with waste (I’m looking at you Keep America Beautiful ad). No, people do not start pollution, corporations do. Thankfully, many laws are now being passed that create Extended Producer Responsibility, which essentially mandates the manufacturers of goods must take responsibility for collecting them at end of life. Laws are already in place in 5 states, including CA, with 4 more on the books.
Reclaiming the materials is great, but redesigning them is better. Packaging should be conceived of as circular instead of linear, whether that be through true recyclability or compostability.
Imagine a future where all packages go back to the earth and become something new. What if we rethink what our packaging is, and instead of just functioning to insulate and protect our food and goods, it could also sew seeds to pull carbon out of the air? Not universally viable, but a fun idea.
RESOURCES:
The Story of Stuff is incredible advocacy and education organization dedicated to shining a light on how our system works and how we can change it. Knowledge is power.
REFUSE
We don’t waste what we don’t buy, so I think the first step for consumers is to ask ourselves whether the thing we’re engaging with is necessary. Straws and bags are hot topics these days, but easy to avoid by either bringing your own or just using your hands if you can (for the bag, not the straw). Bringing your own container is often an option in more places than you might think. Whole Foods, for example, will let you bring your own container to the meat counter and they’ll tare it and just charge you for the product. (Fair warning, the adhesive on the labels would hold together a space shuttle during reentry, so you might want to ask for it separately). Also a good option at coffee shops to bring your own mug. You’ll save money on the cup in the process.
RESOURCES:
Catalog Choice is a site for stopping spam mail and reducing paper waste at the same time.
REDUCE
We can’t stop the avalanche of plastic polluting our planet until we turn off the tap, and big oil plans to double plastic production by 2050. We as consumers don’t make this mess, so it's up to legislation to force the system to change. And recycling is not the answer. Big oil loves to tout it as a solution since it gives them carte-blanche to make more plastic, and we as the consumer feel good that we’re doing our part by filling the blue bin. However, it is a common misconception that plastics are recyclable just because they have that little 3 arrows symbol on the package. This is quite misleading, and sadly the majority of single-use disposable plastics are not easily recycled due to mixed polymers, food or other contaminations, or lack of infrastructure. Often they are downcycled into inferior cheap plastics and thrown away, thrown away directly, burned, or end up in the environment. Thankfully, there are a few great bills already passed or in the works around the country that attempt to reverse the trend of overproduction, such as California’s SB-54. This bill mandates that by 2032:
Single use plastic production must drop 25%
Single use plastic recycling must increase to 65%
Ensure 100% of single use plastics are recyclable or compostable.
Source: https://calrecycle.ca.gov/packaging/packaging-epr/
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
Where and when you can, reduce how much plastic you buy and opt for the glass jar instead. A little scanning on the shelf and you’ll often find one, though it may be more expensive. I think we have more purchasing power than we realize. What you buy tells companies what to make, so if there’s a constant run on glass ketchup or coke bottles, that’s a sign that’s what consumers want and it may start to shift production.
If a bill pops up in your area to reduce plastic production, write your representative to support it. Or again, write them to ask for it.
RE-USE/REPAIR
I’m of the mind that there’s enough stuff out there already, and a lot of it is still perfectly good. The obvious places to partake in re-use, like Goodwill and The Salvation Army, I won’t expound upon, but they really do make a difference. I found a pair of shorts there the other day for $5.99 and found out it was half off at the register. Steal. I think it partly comes down to an economic model built around ‘newness’, where everything must be state of the art, untouched, and pristinely packaged. The post-war era engine, I think, helped create this gluttony and ushered in a system built around planned obsolescence. As a push-back, there is an increasing movement towards Right To Repair across the US, with over 30 states already taking action. A step in the right direction as we return to some level of connection with the act of making.
RESOURCES:
BuyNothing is an amazing organization using people powered commerce to reduce waste and create a more circular economy. Anyone can set up a group in their area to request or donate goods, including food.
Crossroads Trading Company is great for used clothing and accessories.
Urban Ore is a great Bay Area donation based re-use shop.
The ReUse People is great for building and construction materials.
The Habitat for Humanity Restores are national and great for household goods, lighting, construction materials, etc. You can shop or donate.
The East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse is a cute art and craft store focusing on donatable goods, turning trash into treasure.
REFILL
Refill shops are a great way to reduce plastic packaging and overall waste by only purchasing the product you want. The Global South has been deploying refill models for years, such as the Algramo program in Chile. Here, consumers bring their own bottle to refill with common household and personal care products, saving the consumer money and reducing waste. If such a system existed in the US, I can see a model where grocery stores become distribution centers for refillable and reusable goods. Imagine bringing back your container of Tide and just buying new product instead of a whole bottle? Even better, if manufacturers shifted to selling concentrated dry powdered products, you’d save even more as often the price by volume includes the weight of water.
RESOURCES:
Re-UP Refills in Oakland
The Filling Station in Berkeley
Sustain LA in Los Angeles
Refill Mercantile in Petaluma
RECYCLE
The last step in this new system should be recycling. And there’s a lot of confusion out there as to whether or not something goes in the blue bin or the black one. Every municipality will have its own standards for collection, but at the end of the day it really must come down to clearer labeling, better products, and better infrastructure. We as consumers are not to blame for this mess, but we are not powerless.
RESOURCES
Stopwaste.org - an amazing searchable resource for where to take common and uncommon household items around the Bay Area.
RecycleStuff- similar site for searching for how to properly recycle certain goods in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.
Recology Center - Bay Area based recycler that offers drop off services for many difficult to recycle goods, including styrofoam.
Ridwell - online recycler that offers pick up services for difficult to recycle goods, including styrofoam and batteries.
Terracycle - offers mail-in or drop-off recycling services for hard to recycle items such as plastic packaging.
Household Hazardous Waste Facilities - batteries, paints, oils, cleaners, lightbulbs, and e-waste are all toxic in the waste stream and must be sorted separately. Look for your closet HHW facility and plan a drop off day at your convenience. They’re usually free.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, and while somewhat regional I hope can spark curiosity around what may be available near you. The system as it is is not sustainable, but the solutions exist. And the incredible people who are bringing them to life can’t do it alone.
Footnotes:
As of 2021 the US produced about 12% of the world’s garbage while having only 4% of its population. The average American throws away about 4.9 lbs of garbage per day, or 1,800 lbs per year