The Zero-Waste Movement 🌿

THINK YOU COULD LIVE YOUR LIFE WITHOUT THROWING ANY TRASH AWAY?

The average American throws out approximately 4.4 pounds of trash per day... YIKES! However, many people all over the world are proving that a "zero-waste" lifestyle is possible. By cutting out disposable packaging, making a commitment to reusable products, composting, growing their own food, diving into permaculture, and applying a bit of creativity, more and more people are reducing their waste and lowering their carbon footprint‼️

WHAT IS THE ZERO-WASTE MOVEMENT?

"Zero-waste" is a lifestyle where people aim to significantly reduce or eliminate their trash output. This means no plastic, no wrappers, no garbage. While this may seem like an unrealistic task in today’s very disposable convenience-based society, everyday people all over the world are doing it! The pandemic has caused major set-backs in the zero-waste movement considering all of the disposable gloves, masks, and banning reusables for the time being, but the zero-waste goal remains the same: reduce waste as much as humanely possible. The goal is to reevaluate the way people approach the concept of trash, & zero-wasters are teaching the world that we all have the ability to make a difference in protecting our planet. Is it possible to be 100% zero-waste? Not really. There will always be waste from technology, transportation, food, etc., but the intention is to reduce waste as much as possible. Well, it actually IS possible if you live off-grid, use a compost toilet, never travel, never buy anything, grow ALL of your own food, and do not have any technology!

Could you fit your month's waste in a jar? Check out this waste collected from the global campaign, Futuristic February.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE ZERO-WASTE MOVEMENT?

A lot of the waste we throw out on a daily basis ends up in landfills. Some gets recycled, but dive into the recycling system and you'll soon realize its MAJORLY flawed‼️ If you don't know what a landfill is, it's a giant hole in the ground where waste is buried and then covered with soil or an alternative material. The problem with landfills is they are horrible for the environment. Landfills produce methane, contaminate soil, and emit harmful greenhouse gasses. So by refusing to produce any waste, the zero-waste movement hopes to minimize the harmful effects of landfills on our planet.

HOW DO PEOPLE LIVE ZERO-WASTE?

Anyone living a zero-waste lifestyle will say it’s all about beginning with small simple swaps. For example: buying secondhand, using reusable containers, composting food scraps, bringing reusable utensils around, avoiding plastic bags, and living minimalistic are just a few. Anyone can significantly reduce the amount of trash they produce by simply thinking ahead and being prepared throughout the day in order to avoid single-use plastic. There are many zero-waste blogs on the internet, and many of you know one of our favs is Sustainable Duo!😉

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE ZERO-WASTE MOVEMENT

Multiple large companies claim to have taken a “zero-waste-to-landfill” approach, using methods like incineration in order to avoid sending their waste to landfills. The Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA), claims this is a misuse of the phrase “zero waste”. The true aim of zero waste is not to just keep waste out of landfills, but redesign the entire cycle of resource extraction, consumption, and discard management so no resources are wasted at any point along the way! Going zero waste is obviously a very large and demanding task. If you want to help keep trash out of landfills, but aren’t in the position to commit entirely to zero waste, that’s okay! There are still so many things you can do to help minimize the problem. Whether it’s using a reusable water bottle, saying no to plastic straws, growing a few herbs on your windowsill, or donating your clothes instead of throwing them out... every sustainable swap matters!

Pictured above: zero-waste bamboo toothbrushes, vegan shampoo bars, vegan laundry detergent bar, vegan deodorant bar, reusable straw, and stain remover block

PLANET PROTEIN'S ZERO-WASTE GOAL

We have gone back and forth with protein packaging materials many times, and we have decided not to use backyard compostable materials or bioplastics. Instead, we have created an internal zero-waste program where our customers send our packaging back to us (ex: empty Chocolate Magic bag) and we partner with a company that turns the packaging into desks, chairs, flooring, etc. ♻️ Some might wonder why we do not use backyard compostable packaging or bioplastics! We have not found a reputable company that is organic and transparent for backyard compostable packaging. Many backyard compostables are sprayed with pesticides, soaked in acids, or contain other harmful chemicals. These chemicals are not good for human health or the planet. We would LOVE to have packaging that is backyard compostable, but we will always remain transparent to our customers and guarantee no pesticides, plastics, fungicides, herbicides, GMOs, toxic heavy metals, or anything harmful in our superfood protein powders. Bioplastics are rarely disposed of properly, typically require increased use of land + pesticides, and require super specific conditions to degrade. Those aren't a solution, either. As we have mentioned in previous emails, we are continuously on the lookout for the most sustainable packaging & open for ethical recommendations if our Planet P fam comes across any! We are currently in communication with an innovative company that is creating the most sustainable packaging on the market... but it won’t be out for a few years. Until then, we will continue to evolve & do our best while staying morally consistent as possible. Did you know that when we ship the Chocolate Magic to your door, it arrives in a post-consumer box with eco-paper tape? We also include an insert that is made of post-consumer kraft paper printed with soy ink! We source our ingredients sustainably and ethically and will share more info about our AMAZING partners in the near future. 🌱