The “new school” 3Rs

The original 3Rs—reduce, reuse, recycle—are integral to achieving zero waste.  But reduce, reuse, recycle will not alone stop the wasting and warming cycle.  Simply put, a few powerful companies stand to make a great deal of profit by increasing trash disposal and consumption.  In the U.S. alone, trash disposal is a $40 billion a year industry. 

If we are going to make zero waste a reality, we need to make bold shifts in how public money is spent, so that the health of our communities and environment take priority.  Embracing this vision, the zero waste for Zero Warming campaign is guided by what we call the “New School” 3Rs.  They include:

Resist using public money to fuel incinerators, landfills and the throwaway economy

Every year, billions of public dollars go to subsidizing every step of the wasting and warming cycle.  The price tags of products on the shelves don’t reflect their true cost; that cost is paid for by the communities around the world that are impacted by the pollution of the throwaway economy, and with our tax money when we have to clean up industries’ mess.  In the face of the climate crisis, we need to stand with the most impacted communities to resist sending another dime of our public money to continuing this unsustainable cycle. 

Reinvest in waste reduction, zero waste infrastructure and green jobs

For waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting to grow nationally, we need to shift public money from waste disposal, to zero waste.  This means re-investment to train and hire a national zero waste workforce, develop innovative collection programs, clean up the toxic legacy of polluters, build resource recovery parks and composting systems, and strengthen reuse businesses, waste reduction, education and research.  We know that recycling sustains 10-25 times as many jobs as incineration and landfilling.  It’s time that we invest in development that makes sense for our communities and climate. 

Redesign products and systems so that they are safe for people and the planet

Many products are made in ways that are harmful to consumers, workers and the climate.  Companies often do this to cut costs, but people and the environment bear the burden.  As a result, cities around the world are implementing strategies to require companies to redesign products so that they are non-toxic, safe for the climate, and economical to reuse or recycle.  Cities are also taking bold steps to redesign the systems that generate waste, by rewarding businesses that support waste reduction and reuse, local production practices, sustainable design and green jobs.