The zero-waste revolution: how a new wave of shops could end excess packaging

The growing account known as “EcoTok” on the social media app TikTok is working to expose more people to data about the climate crisis and tackle scientific misinformation. With more than 80,000 followers and 1.2 million likes, the account features short videos with scientists, students, and activists highlighting ways that young people can be more sustainable. Their ability to engage people in environmental and scientific issues has led to partnerships with TED Countdown and the UN Environment Programme.

The supply chain for Valentine's Day flowers is incredibly toxic for the environment and produces mass amounts of waste. In response, a "floral gifting" service industry emerged in which flowers from special events can get repurposed or recycled. One such company, NYC-based Repeat Roses, has a special service that restyles the flowers into petite bouquets to donate to hospitals, nursing homes, and family shelters. Their efforts have diverted more than 98 tons of waste from landfills and delivered almost 53,000 floral arrangements to people in need.

The Recycling for the Environment by Strengthening Income and Livelihoods of Entrepreneurs (RESILIENT) Project helps support the economy of waste collectors and aggregators by providing training, safety equipment and mentorship on how to handle finances and operate a waste business. Waste collectors and aggregators who have participated in the RESILIENT Project earn increased profits and are able to collect and recycle more plastics and other materials.

In the recent years, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission voted to restore consumers' "right to repair" their products and 27 states have introduced repair bills. This policy push has encouraged a growing number of independent repair shops and workshops that enable consumers to fix their products safely and effectively. Together, they're leading to a reduction in both electronic waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

From collecting plastic to transforming it into infrastructure, communities all over the world are implementing solutions to tackle the growing amount of plastic waste. In Malawi, women are separating garbage from plastic and creating new products like fire briquettes, doormats, and organic compost that they can sell to others. A town in Tasmania turned their plastic waste into a road made of recycled asphalt that is expected to last 15 percent longer than regular asphalt. And Zimbabwe is employing youth to recycle plastic into eco-friendly construction materials.

Mason & Greens is a zero-waste store that reduces environmental impact by selling package-free items, from shampoo bars to organic produce. Dry goods and the wines, oils, and kombucha on tap are bought with reusable containers and priced by the ounce, which reduces plastic waste and allows customers to buy only what they need. In addition to minimizing products' carbon footprints, the store has been profitable since it opened and the owners say that, while prices are initially higher for consumers, reusable products may be less expensive in the long run because they don’t have to be replaced as frequently.

The Media and Climate Change Observatory at the University of Colorado - Boulder has been tracking media coverage of climate change in an effort to improve and provide analysis of it. As awareness of the climate crisis grows around the world, the need to shift away from alarmist information and toward actionable, applicable information also increases. While scientific reports are necessary, delivering information through mediums like comedy or performance art has proven to reach a wider audience.

A new social enterprise called rePurpose asks consumers to estimate their plastic usage and pay to offset it. Then, the organization funds worker cooperatives in India that provide more stable employment and pay for workers in the recycling industry. Still in its early stages, rePurpose hopes to collaborate with businesses, schools, and individuals to offset their plastic usage.

With the staggering amounts of garbage produced by modern lifestyles, waste disposal is becoming an increasingly difficult challenge for communities around the world. Vienna has tackled the trouble of trash with an innovative system, channeling the heat from incineration to warm homes and provide hot water, recovering reusable items from the waste stream and selling them in a special shop, and proactively educating the populace about how to reduce waste.

The Azure Bouré's Traditional Food and Medicine Program provides culturally relevant medicines to Suquamish tribal members and builds community trust while teaching future generations to adapt ancestral knowledge in real-time. As they respond to climate change, the Program has adapted traditional plant harvesting through flexible curriculum adjustments, strategic land partnerships, and transparent education about shifting growing cycles.