Zero Waste

Zero Waste is a design principle for the 21st Century that seeks to redesign the way resources and materials flow through society.

Zero Waste requires eliminating subsidies for raw material extraction and waste disposal, and holding producers responsible for their products and packaging ‘from cradle to cradle.’ The goal is to promote clean production, prevent pollution, and create communities in which all products are designed to be cycled safely back into the economy or environment.

Dog Listening to Trash Can

What You Can Do in Your Community!

Curious about where to start? Here are tools: A Zero Waste Event Kit, A Citizen’s Agenda for Zero Waste, the Zero Waste Briefing Kit, and more.

Zero Waste Symbol

What is Zero Waste?

Not really sure what Zero Waste is? Get the low down on fundamentals, application and theory here.

Calipers Measuring the World

Zero Waste Resources

Okay, you’re sold. Now where do I get model resolutions to put before my local government? Plans for my local zero waste facilities? Articles to round out my understanding of Zero Waste? Here of course!

ZW World Map

Zero Waste Around the World

Meet our friends and neighbors across the globe, many of whom are who are working toward the Zero Waste goal, all of whom are willing to share their knowledge on how it can be done.

Zero Waste Business

Zero Waste Businesses

Learn more about how to establish the commitment of companies to achieve Zero Waste and further establish criteria by which workers, investors, customers, suppliers, policymakers and the public in general can assess the resource efficiency of companies.

EPR Compass

Producer Responsibility

The absence of Producer Responsibility is the single greatest barrier to establishing Zero Waste.

Rodin's Thinker looking at aluminum can

Optimize the 3 R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Compost)

Are we doing the best we can to bring what we use back to the recovery point (curb, bins or facility)? Are facilities doing the best they can to make sure compostables are returned safely back to the soil?