Zero Waste

Zero waste is the idea of making almost no trash at all. People who try it reuse, recycle, and compost as much as they can. They also say no to things they do not need. The goal is to keep stuff out of landfills. It takes practice, but it can be fun.

The Five Rs

Zero waste fans follow five rules: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot. Refuse means saying no to things you do not need. Reduce means using less. Reuse means using items again instead of tossing them. Rot means composting food scraps so they turn into soil.

Easy Ways to Start

You can bring your own water bottle and snack container to school. Shopping with cloth bags cuts down on plastic waste. Buying food without wrappers also helps. Giving old toys and books to others keeps them out of the trash. Every little bit counts.

Fun Facts

• Some zero waste people fit a whole year of trash in one small jar.
• Composting can turn banana peels into garden food in just a few weeks.
• Many grocery stores now let you bring your own jars to fill up.

Did You Know?

The average person makes about four pounds of trash every day.