If you want to reduce waste, you should try to buy unpackaged goods, for example from Zero Waste shops where you can fill up your own container. (The sign says: Seasonings and spices.) — Photos: dpa
Zero Waste, an approach focusing on the reuse and recycling of products and resources to prevent waste, is a big goal that even the very ambitious hardly manage to achieve. Nevertheless, many of us are looking to produce less trash.
Industry and retail do not make it easy, for example by using excess packaging. Nevertheless, it's worth giving it a try as even small changes in everyday life benefit the environment.
Waste is all around us: Plastic packaging, glass, used clothing, broken electrical appliances, food scraps, empty batteries, cardboard boxes, old newspapers. The good news is: You don't need to draw up an elaborate plan to start reducing it.
"You don't have to make many changes in your day-to-day life. If you always think about waste when going shopping, you can already achieve a lot," says Patrick Hasenkamp, vice president of the German Association of Local Public Utilities (VKU), which also represents waste management companies.
In the case of groceries, this means buying unpackaged goods wherever possible, for example in Zero Waste shops or health food shops that offer products in bulk, allowing you to fill up your own container with pasta or flour. However, the products tend to be more expensive than at a regular supermarket as they are often organic.
Another way to reduce waste is to use reusable packaging wherever possible. "We can only reduce packaging waste if unpackaged and reusable become the new normal," says Janine Korduan from Friends of the Earth Germany. "In some countries certain dairy products, such as yoghurts, and drinks come in bottles that are cleaned and then reused."
Many supermarkets offer more options when it comes to fruit and vegetables. If you choose loose fruit, you not only save on packaging, but you can also freely select the quantity, allowing you to buy as much as you really need.
Instead of buying fruits in packaging, if you choose loose fruit, you not only save on packaging, but you can also freely select the quantity, allowing you to buy as much as you really need.
This is a problem that should not be underestimated: According to Environmental Action Germany, among the 53kg of organic waste generated per capita in the country each year are many foods that were not used. That's why one general piece of advice for avoiding waste is to plan well before going grocery shopping.
Single households in particular have a hard time when it comes to reducing waste. They are often unable to fully consume goods in larger sizes, which are cheaper and more environmentally friendly than several small packs. What's left ends up in the trash after the expiration date.
"It's a matter of weighing things up carefully. Because the alternative – small single packs – is precisely what generates the most waste," says Korduan.
When it comes to clothes, fast fashion is the equivalent of a single-use spoon. Some brands launch up to 12 new collections a year, to encourage young people in particular to buy new items.
"It is not only unreasonable for environmental reasons to constantly buy new items of clothing of inferior quality," says Hasenkamp. "It also makes little economic sense." His tip: buy less, but make sure what you do buy is long-lasting and sustainable.
"This is also good for your own psyche. You feel better if you regularly sort out your belongings and own fewer things overall," adds Korduan. "Giving away and swapping is also a lot of fun, at clothes swap parties you can save money and it's a nice afternoon activity."
For those who can't afford or don't want the more sustainable and expensive items, second-hand clothes may be an option. According to Hasenkamp, more and more people now buy used items, not only clothes but also phones and tablets, for example.
You don't have to own everything yourself. "Many people have household appliances and tools at home that they don't use at all or only very rarely," says Hasenkamp. "Sharing can be a solution." The public utilities representative checking out rental shops where you can rent everything from a drill to a fondue set. "This helps save resources," says Hasenkamp.
Another way to reduce waste is to repair instead of throwing away and buying new. But this is easier said than done, as some items, particularly electronic devices, are not designed to be repaired. "As a rule of thumb, the higher the quality and more expensive a device is, the more likely it is that it can be repaired," says Hasenkamp.
If your device cannot be repaired, make sure to hand it in at a specialist shop or supermarket so that it can be properly recycled later on. "Under no circumstances do electronic or electrical devices belong in household waste," says Korduan. "They end up incinerated and valuable raw materials such as rare-earth elements are lost."
There are various other ways to avoid household waste. It can be great fun to think about and come up with your own creative solutions - for example, replacing wrapping paper with homemade alternatives.
Anyone who is still annoyed about full bins and bulging rubbish bags shouldn't just blame themselves. "The consumer often has no choice. They are exposed to a flood of packaging that is difficult to fend off by yourself," says Korduan. "It's industry and retail that need to take action." – dpa/Katja Fischer
