Introduction

Zero Waste

The zero waste movement basically revolves around reducing the amount of trash that ends up in landfills, incinerators, and the environment by recycling, composting, reusing, and reducing consumption. Although zero waste is not typically focused on water or energy reduction, it is a natural byproduct of the zero waste lifestyle, especially when considering the life cycle of products. Because most plastics are not compostable, and they cannot currently be recycled over and over again like metals, avoiding plastic products is a big part of the zero waste movement.

Minimalism

Minimalism is generally a big part of the zero waste movement. Originally, minimalism was borne out of a design sensibility for clean lines and lack of clutter – think Ikea, white backgrounds, and simple fonts. Today, minimalism is a movement that is more about the psychological benefits of refusing the West’s consumerist lifestyle. It is about taking stock of what objects you really need in your life and how clutter and too much stuff can weigh us down, psychologically, as well as take up a lot of our time. Minimalism and zero waste complement each other, but they are not the same thing. For example, owning a lot of reusable containers would not be considered minimalist, but would be considered zero waste.

Health

Although zero waste and minimalism generally have side effects of improved well-being and health, there are times when zero waste or minimalist solutions may not be the best choice for our long-term well-being. For example, one suggestion for zero waste oral hygiene is to use plain baking soda bought in bulk for toothpaste and a reusable gum stimulator to floss with. Because there are no scientific studies that I know of that explain how this choice might affect long-term oral health, I cannot recommend it. In our household, we still use electric toothbrushes, floss, and toothpaste containing sodium monofluorophosphate (a low-hazard version of fluoride), as recommended by dentists.