“The idea behind Zero Waste is simple: Basically, nothing with a second use should be thrown away. And if something doesn't have a second use, it shouldn't exist. If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted then it should be restricted, redesigned, or removed from production.”
—Mark Galiardi of the Berkeley Ecology Center in a presentation at the National Recycling Coalition's 2007 Annual Conference

Governments at every level, businesses, institutions, and individuals each play a role in producing waste and/or supporting the production of waste through their purchasing and use habits. Thus, we can each begin to take action to reduce and eliminate that waste — today!

Simple steps you can take right now:

• Look in your wastebasket. Examine every item in it, and pledge to work to no longer need a wastebasket.
• Spread the word. Talk to your friends and co-workers about zero waste.
• Find examples of policies, ordinances, and state legislation, and take them to elected officials.
• Sign a petition supporting efforts to hold manufacturers accountable for wasteful product design. Urge them to take-back their products, make them recyclable, or pay for safe disposal.
• Donate to a zero waste organization to help support these efforts on a larger level.

Seek inspiration from others. Here are just a few ways individuals have joined together to create real change:

• In Vermont, Zero Waste Inc.'s home state, a citizen's group called VOCAL (Vermont Organized Communities Against Landfills) successfully used the zero waste message to convince a solid waste district to look at alternatives to siting a landfill. Through written pieces, community gatherings, legal actions, and presentations, they garnered sufficient numbers of supporters to impress the board and staff of the local solid waste district to rethink their decision to move forward with plans to develop a landfill.
• In 2007, citizens of the small, western Massachusetts community of Hardwick stood up to one of the nation's largest solid waste management corporations on the strength of their belief in zero waste.
• In 2006, local elected officials adopted a resolution declaring Boulder, CO, a zero waste city. The document puts forth several bold assertions including one that states “…government can be ultimately responsible for establishing criteria needed to eliminate waste, for creating the economic and regulatory environment in which to achieve it, and for leading by example…”