I have this one drawer in my kitchen—it holds my bamboo cutlery, my metal straws, and my reusable tote bags. My collection grew as my interest in living sustainably increased. Each purchase convinced me that I would be closer to embracing a zero-waste lifestyle. That drawer has led me to an intense reflection on my zero waste practices; all my efforts were tied with a specific purchase of a green-advertised product. I now wonder, has capitalism completely absorbed zero waste? How has zero waste been adopted into the market?
The Almost Zero Blog comments, “where there’s a movement, there’s people looking to capitalize on it!” Because movements generate motion and invite large crowds, corporations see the opportunity to gain a profit. In the market, the goals of movements get loosely adopted because the priority now shifts to making money as opposed to making change. The profit-seeking mindset has created a new market that zero waste belongs to: Green consumerism.
Green consumerism advertises and sells products as necessities for environmentally friendly lives. In the face of the climate crisis, green consumerism can change everyday practices to be more environmentally conscious. On the other hand, green consumerism can risk greenwashing, or as Leyla Acaroglu describes, “when companies invest more time and money on marketing their products or brand as ‘green’ rather than actually doing the hard work to ensure that it is sustainable.” The duality of green consumerism parallels what the Almost Zero Blog calls the zero waste paradox.
The practice of selling zero waste exists in a liminal space of light and dark. Products signal the possibility of living in an eco-conscious future by offering more sustainable alternatives. However, darkness looms when companies indulge in false advertising to hide their environmental damage. Countless companies have built a green facade: Volkswagen, Walmart, and Windex to name a few.
Contradictions are almost inevitable in a market-driven world, yet there is immense value in analyzing the complicated duality.
The Zero Waste market exposes the existing contradictions. Contradictions are almost inevitable in a market-driven world, yet there is immense value in analyzing the complicated duality. We become more conscious of what we are buying, how much are we purchasing, and the message behind each product. This does not mean to be complicit while purchasing, rather it is about questioning our choices and avoiding intense consumerism that leads to increased waste.
I should note that my kitchen drawer does not remain closed, I revisit it when I want to avoid buying plastic utensils or using plastic bags. Instead of participating in a “‘take-make-waste’ linear model,” zero waste products allow me to turn to a reliable and reusable product. Experts call this alternative as engaging in a circular economy. Zero waste products embrace the regenerative circular economy, circumventing mass consumerism that only results in more waste.
Dr. Paul Connet, Executive Director of the American Environmental Health Studies Project, outlined the 5Cs of Zero Waste: Common Sense, Community, Creativity, Children, and Communication. We must employ our common sense to embrace waste reduction; “empower our communities to protect their air, water, food, resources, their land;” use creativity to promote zero waste; educate children “early in public service and the struggle for sustainability;” and prioritize communication to spread successes and information. I propose that the 5Cs should acknowledge the 3Cs of the Zero Waste Market: Contradictions, Commodification, and Capitalism.
Whether we like it or not, the movement for zero waste has been commoditized, yet it is in recognizing how zero waste acts in the market that we can inform our individual choices. I no longer feel that it is necessary that to reduce my waste I have to purchase more “green” products and have my kitchen drawer grow. A zero-waste life is knowing how my day-to-day habits and choices contribute to waste and what I can do to change them.
Maria Duran Gonzalez is currently living in Miami, Florida, and is a first-year prospective Environmental Analysis major. She is passionate about food justice, gardening, and intersectional environmentalism.