The Zero Percent Impossibility of Zero Waste Possibility

by Aira Tiangco

      I used to think that realities always come with the ugly sides of everything. Reality is always awful and good things are only dreams and ideals. Part of this old thinking is the impossible idea of having a healthy and trash-free environment where resources are maximized and the citizens are all ecologically responsible and eco-friendly. Mother Earth is already at her critical dying condition, then why hope for its revival?

(Photo was retrieved from http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-aging-dying-mother-earth-image28709673)

   My summer internship with the Mother Earth Foundation paved a way for me to have meaningful experiences that made me realized that it’s never too late to do things for our home planet. And the core philosophy that was imparted into our minds is the Zero Waste advocacy.

     Zero waste is a belief that encourages a cyclical flow of utilizing resources and nothing, not a small portion of it, is being misused or taken into waste. This thinking reminds me of the popular 3Rs, namely Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. According to the Zero Waste International Alliance (2004), Zero Waste is an ethical, economical, efficient and visionary goal that encourages the people to modify their linear “use and discard” lifestyle into a more sustainable cycle where all disposed materials or products are used as new resources for other people to utilize. More than just the practice of eliminating waste through recycling and reusing, the advocacy also includes a change or revamp in the production of the different kinds of waste. Zero Waste can be attained through various approaches and it requires a massive participation in all sectors of our society especially the government since they have the ability to form policies and subsidies that will ensure public and private participation in the proper waste management. They also have the authority to develop comprehensive waste management programs and strategies that can eliminate wastes that contribute much to the different environmental problems. The industrial or business sectors also play essential roles to achieve the Zero Waste goal. These roles encompass production of commodities, and the material selection and packaging. The manufacturing processes can apply the ideals of Zero Waste by generating products or merchandises out of the discarded materials that will give additional income without investing much capital, just like the saying “May pera sa basura”. Simple acts from individuals also yield great results. Examples are avoidance of using plastic straws and the practice of using reusable tumblers and eco-bags when buying something from the market.

(Photo was retrieved from http://www.complydirect.com/waste-and-recycling/zero-waste-to-landfill/our-zero-waste-service/)

   But Zero Waste principles are also reflected from my intangible encounters with the people I met and worked with. After a series of community fieldworks and exposures, I learned so many things more than just the practices and waste methods toward the Zero Waste goal. The experiences honed my communication skills through the Information and Education Campaign (IEC) activity where I met different types of people and learned to properly deal with them. 

The timid girl who used to stay on one corner became an interactive and reactive Community Organizer once the fieldwork started. I also learned from the Community Organizers (COs) whom I had worked with. Their passion for their advocacy makes their work easier even though they face various obstacles in their everyday work (i.e. lack of collectors and push carts to be used). They truly practice Zero Waste principles for they always find something to use from the wastes and discards that they are collecting every day. I also had the chance to have a glimpse into the lives of the collectors who endure the heat of the sun and the unpleasant smell of the garbage, hoping that they could get something useful from the trashes they are collecting. They also practice what we advocate about the Republic Act 9003 (The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001), and despite the fact that they are mostly illiterate and uneducated, they are the ones who are more inclined and eager to learn more about the journey towards the Zero Waste. I really appreciate and admire their hard work and positive attitudes toward their livelihood.

    As much as I want to talk about my personal experiences or the different ways or practices concerning Zero Waste, I want to acknowledge the people whom I had stumbled upon and made me believe that Zero Waste is possible: the MEF people, the community organizers, the collectors, and the people who participated and also wish for the Zero Waste advocacy to happen.

   From the circumstances that I went through during fieldworks, I understood how difficult it is to implement such advocacy, and it requires great patience, determination and faith. From these I realize that reality is not always appalling because Zero Waste is a reality. Zero Waste is everywhere and one can only find it if one struggles to fight for it. Nonetheless, Zero Waste is possible! :)