Take this first step for a zero-waste lifestyle - San Francisco Chronicle

Kathryn Kellogg may be one of the most subversive people in the Bay Area. Not in the sense of being a troublemaker — far from it — but she’s out to overturn entire systems and ways of thinking. Instead of focusing on recycling to save the planet, she wants people to rethink how they make, use and dispose of everything and shift to an economy that writes trash out of existence.

And she’s planning to do it in the nicest possible way. As a zero-waste expert who “aims to send nothing to the landfill,” Kellogg is not out to scold anyone for owning a car. She’s a genuine happy warrior for Earth, approaching waste reduction with creativity. Through her Going Zero Waste website, Instagram account (@going.zero.waste) and book “101 Ways to Go Zero Waste,” she hopes to convert people to a waste-free, or at least lower-waste, lifestyle.

Kellogg, 28, along with Bea Johnson, author of “Zero Waste Home,” and zero-waste chef Anne-Marie Bonneau, are just a few of the zero-waste advocates keeping the Bay Area at the forefront of the zero-waste movement in the United States.

The idea isn’t new. The Ecology Center, one of the earliest action-based environmental organizations in the country, opened in Berkeley in 1969. In 1976, Berkeley’s solid waste management plan prioritized salvaging for re-use and Urban Ore, founded in Berkeley by scavengers, soon began to promote the idea of “total recycling.”

On average, each American generates 4.4 pounds of waste per day, of which 1.5 pounds are recycled or composted, according to a 2013 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report. Today, rising alarm about climate change and a growing awareness of how personal consumption is fueling the crisis have increased people’s interest in reducing or eliminating waste. At the same time, the enormity of the climate crisis can feel overwhelming, so Kellogg takes a “start where you are approach.”

For folks in the Bay Area, some of Kellogg’s tips — carry a reusable bag, don’t use a straw — are already old hat. At the same time, people aren’t ready for the prospect of producing so little trash that it fits into a mason jar, as Kellogg once did. Her approach is now more like a series of steps; taken one at a time, they will change individual practices and make a bigger impact without inundating people with strict rules.

A native of Arkansas, Kellogg was 20 when she found several lumps in her breast. While the lumps were ultimately benign, she was determined to reduce her exposure to cancer-causing toxins, particularly in her food, clothing and beauty supplies. So she made every effort to eliminate plastic and other artificial products from her life.

When she moved to California in 2014, Kellogg committed to reducing and even eliminating the amount of trash she and her husband generated. They lived in a tiny home and managed to produce so little trash that two years’ worth of their waste fit into a mason jar.

Kellogg now lives in a two-bedroom home in Vallejo, with her husband and dog. Her practices are deceptively simple: buy local, cook, garden and compost food waste; mend clothes or repurpose them; travel by bicycle or public transit whenever possible. Kellogg also rigorously researches solutions for common wasteful practices. Her blog and book include recipes, easy substitutes for common disposable items, and ideas on how to shop and travel in a less wasteful way.

She encourages people who are interested in going zero waste to view it as a challenge and a change to their mind-set, even if they cannot change overnight. Taking your own container to a restaurant for the leftovers is a small adjustment that requires a little nerve the first time you try it, but it quickly becomes a habit.

“I’ve saved a lot of money ... doing this (and) my health is improved,” Kellogg says.

She adds: Don’t beat yourself up over whether you’re doing enough. “Living a more eco-friendly life is not a crash diet. It is not a sprint. It is a lifelong lifestyle change.

“Environmentalism is one of those things where no one is perfect. No matter where you are, no matter who you are, you’re making an impact. You cannot escape the planet without making an impact.”

Ten simple steps

Start with a trash audit. Keep track of what you throw away for a few weeks and then brainstorm how to reduce your highest producing waste category.

Real plates, real utensils, cloth napkins. Stockpile used dinnerware for parties and picnics so nothing goes in the trash bin when you’re done.

Plan meals and food storage.Americans throw out up to 40% of their food. Proper planning and food storage will help reduce waste and save money.

Make a zero-waste travel kit. Include a water bottle, cloth napkins, a reusable straw, a food container and reusable cutlery. Take it with you everywhere.

Forgo the party favors. They all end up in the landfill, usually sooner rather than later. Refuse free stuff like novelty pens and conference goodie bags.

Give edible or compostable gifts. Fresh-baked bread or a bouquet of flowers will be a welcome surprise.

Research how to throw stuff away. Several Bay Area counties collaborate on the website Recycle Where? (https://www.recyclewhere.org/) to help you re-direct your trash.

Buy in bulk. Even major grocery chains offer bulk options. Remember to bring your own containers to refill.

Ditch the car. Use and support public transit and land use policies geared toward lower-impact living.

Speak up. Let local officials know what you want. Curbside composting, public transit and plastic bans are decisions made by elected officials based on input from constituents.

Andrea L. Dooley is a freelance writer. Email: style@sfchronicle.com

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https://www.sfchronicle.com/style/article/Take-this-first-step-for-a-zero-waste-lifestyle-14065448.php

2019-07-02 11:00:00Z
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