, Student Voice The Last Thing You Need in Your Life is Trash Dara Campbell Team Member I: the past four years, Lauren Singer has barely produced enough trash to fill a mason jar. The 24-year-old NYU graduate isn’t living in off-the-grid or in a coma — Lauren Singer lives in New York City and leads a Zero Waste lifestyle. As an Environmental Studies major at NYU, she has always held a passionate interest in environmentalism and sustainability. However, there were two pivotal moments which led Lauren to the trash-free, waste-free lifestyle she stands by today. The first moment happened during Lauren’s senior year at NYU, when one of her professors emphasized the importance of fully living one’s values. Jeffrey Hollender, professor and founder of Seventh Generation Inc., had set the trajectory for Lauren’s journey in analyzing and reshaping her own personal environmental impact. The second moment was triggered by a fellow Environmental Studies Major colleague. This student, as described by Lauren, would bring a disposable plastic water bottle and a plastic take- out container ina plastic bag. Week by week, Lauren grew more and more bothered by her classmate’s habits. Soon after, she read about the Zero Waste Home in Mill Valley, California. Bea Johnson and her family have been living waste-free since 2008. Inspired by Bea’s blog, entitled Zero Waste Home, Lauren decided to embark on her own trash-free journey. Today, Lauren runs Trash Is For Tossers, a blog which documents her Zero Waste lifestyle and offers tools for others to live trash-free. In addition, she has successfully kickstarted a toxic-free and sustainable company called Simply Co., which sells cleaning supplies. Lauren’s NYC-based company proudly adheres to the principles of Zero Waste and honesty — the packaging is plastic-free and all ingredients are listed. Trash Is For Tossers has garnered interest from high- profile websites and non-profits such as Refinery29, Ted Talks, The Current Residents, MSNBC, Seeker Stories, and Life Without Plastic, to name a few. Like the Tiny House movement or off-the-grid lifestyles or even veganism, Zero Waste is a fascinating ‘alternative’ way of life — we are intrigued by such a way of life. However few of us are as eager to adopt such a lifestyle as we are to click a link or watch a short documentary. Something important to note about Zero Waste is that it’s much easier than it sounds. Lauren has stressed time and time again, in interviews and through her writings, that the personal benefits of living trash-free far outweigh the time and effort spent transitioning. Not only does a Zero Waste lifestyle benefit the planet, it comes with a number of up-sides for the individual. For one, it saves money. Living trash-free means making bathroom products at home, curbing spontaneous trips to the nearest take-out place or shopping mall, and spending less overall because of avoiding the embedded costs of packaging. Zero Waste also saves money in the sense that it borrows some of its principles from minimalism — owning fewer possessions and consuming fewer goods is an enriching experience. It forces the individual to find value and joy in experiences, instead of objects. It allows for more money spent on travel, concerts, sports, etc. For anyone interested in living Zero Waste, or at simply lessening their contributions to landfills, Lauren has two suggestions: evaluate and transition. As they say, the first step is admitting you have a problem. Evaluate your trash — what are you currently producing? Do plastic utensils or paper towels or food packaging make up the majority of your garbage output? This step is important in identifying which of your habits produce the most waste, and how this can change. It’s also worth evaluating which of the items, products, and objects in your home truly enrich your life. The second step is to initiate a transition. This sounds big, but it can be easily broken into baby steps. Here are a few — carry a reusable cloth bag and water bottle everywhere you go. Ask the barista to put your coffee in a thermos or mason jar. Replace your plastic tupperware with glass containers, mason jars, and tin lunch boxes. Find products packaged with compostable and recyclable materials. Buy your cereal, pasta, bread, fruits and vegetables, etc. in bulk or package-free by bringing bags and jars to the grocery store. Make your own toothpaste and deodorant, and buy soap package-free. Treat yourself by investing in long-lasting materials such as cotton, glass, stainless steel, and trendonweb.com wood. If you can’t repurpose something, donate it. If you can’t buy something package-free, find it second-hand or make it yourself. Do some research. Get creative. Start small. Lauren Singer isn’t the first to go trash-free, but her journey has resonated for thousands. Why is that? Maybe it’s because Lauren presents the lifestyle in such a way that appears doable, affordable, and even fun. She educates her readers and viewers on simple ways to adopt Zero Waste habits. She never tells others how they should live, but rather provides tips and tricks for those who wish to make the transition. I know that nearly everything there is to do in life is easier said than done. The habits we’ve spent all of our lives building and enforcing are tough to break. The words ‘lifestyle change’ sound too idealistic and overwhelming for their own good. Even after learning about Lauren Singer and Zero Waste, as compelled as I was, I continued to produce trash. Only now, whenever I throw something in the trash, I wonder “how could I have avoided that?” So you could say I’ve got one foot in the ‘Evaluate Your Trash’ step, and another in the transition. Above all, I’ve realized that the last thing I need in my life is trash — literally. For me, it isn’t enough to just say that I love the Earth. I want to live like I love the Earth.