Read the full article in Issue 56
- Winter 2016/’17 of ‘Changing Ireland’!
Not all borrowing is bad
- We need to share more, writes Mindy O'Brien of 'VOICE'.
Not all borrowing is bad. We’re not talking about money for once, but borrowing and loaning out items that reduce the amount of waste and needless dumping in society. But is zero waste possible? Can we chuck out our bins and live with no waste at all?
Unfortunately not, as our
current system of supplying
consumers prevents us from achieving
lower levels of waste easily. Between
plastic wrapped bags of fruits and vegetables
and over packaged products, zero waste
seems out of reach.
However, the definition of ‘zero
waste’ is forgiving.
It refers to the journey towards zero waste
rather than the destination. It means looking
at current consumption patterns and finding
solutions through waste prevention, re-using
and repairing products and recycling and
composting.
Zero waste embraces a ‘circular economy model’,
which turns the current ‘linear consumption model’ on its head. Instead of
extracting, consuming and disposing of valuable natural resources, we can
redesign products to be easily repairable, reusable and recyclable.
We can work with industry to
adopt new manufacturing practices to reduce the amount of waste. In this way,
we won’t continue the current practice of using and destroying non-renewable
natural resources such as rare earth metals and minerals.
Zero waste also looks at how to
share products rather than purchasing new items. It is estimated that each
electric drill is only used around ten minutes in its lifetime, unless the user
is in the trade or an avid DIYer. We are used to borrowing books from our
libraries, so why not create a tool lending library so we can borrow tools and
little used items as well?
Many communities, large and
small, have embarked on their zero waste journey.
For example, Gipuzkoa, in the
Basque Country, has reversed its waste trend, going from 30% recycling and 70%
residual waste to 70% recycling and 30% residual waste in just three years.
San Francisco is also a very
successful zero waste community. It has done this through local action and
local ordinances. Local government has banned polystyrene packaging, requires
food businesses to use compostable or easily recyclable packaging for all food
takeaway containers, has banned plastic bags and banned the sale of bottled
water in public spaces.
California also has a container
deposit/refund scheme where consumers pay a deposit on all drinks containers
which is returned when the container is brought back.
Voice of Irish Concern for the
Environment (VOICE) has started work to make Cashel, Co. Tipperary, the first
zero waste community in Ireland.
“Share products rather than purchasing
new items. It is estimated that each electric drill is only used around ten
minutes in its lifetime.”
We have begun meeting and
consulting with local champions, groups and the county council. Zero waste must
be a bottom up movement with the full engagement and commitment from local
residents and businesses.
We hope that through zero waste
we not only benefit the environment through reducing the amount of generated
waste, but also benefit the economy through reduced waste costs, the
establishment of new businesses (reuse, repair, leasing and recycling) and
social enterprises.
Such businesses have been
created in other zero waste communities. A thriving compostable packaging
sector has popped up in San Francisco to meet demand, a nappy composting
business was established in England, and leasing services, such as Airbnb,
Dublin Bikes, and GoCar, have been hugely successful.
In Ireland, new social
enterprises have also popped up, including FoodCloud, which redistributes
surplus short-dated food from shops to charities to feed those who face food
poverty each day. In two years, they have rescued enough food to provide over
two million meals.
In Cork, Boomerang collects and
deconstructs old mattresses so that the steel and paddling can be turned into
new products.
Charity shops ensure that
unwanted items find new homes. There are many new ventures in this area, which
not only preserve valuable resources, but generate local jobs.
The promotion of zero waste and
the circular economy has a win, win, win effect. It benefits the environment,
creates new local businesses and jobs and pulls the community together towards
a common cause. It’s a sustainable consumption model that can be rolled out
throughout Ireland, community by community.
This article by Mindy O’Brien of Voice, is based on a
presentation she made at the UCC Credit Union Summer School, organised by the
Centre for Co-operative Studies, UCC.
How
to run a local ‘Food Rescue’
VOICE is an environmental charity
working on waste
and water issues.
Among the things it does best are
‘Food Rescues’ which
involves recovering food that
is edible, but often not saleable.
Call them if you’d like to see one
held in your area.
“Our champions will organise the
collection of
short-dated food from local shops, farms or other
food
businesses which will then be prepared to make a delicious
meal
to share with their neighbours. They have already held
events
counties Sligo, Cork, Leitrim, Carlow, Wicklow and Fingal.
VOICE is supported through Local
Agenda 21 contributions.
W: voiceireland.org E:
info@voiceireland.org. T: 01-642-5741.
T: @voice_ireland Also on Facebook.
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