Global
Groups working toward Zero Waste
The Zero Waste movement is spreading across the globe, from small communities to entire nations, and every sector has a role to play—households, businesses, schools, governments, and events and more. There are many groups and organizations working on local solutions and many working on larger policy changes at the national or international level. Learn more and support their efforts, or start your own!
Let us know of other Zero Waste efforts or organizations, or contact us for more information on Zero Waste consultants to help you move your vision forward.
National
Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR)
Grassroots Recycling Network (GRRN)
Compostable Organics Out of Landfills by 2012 (COOL 2012)
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)
Zero Emissions Research & Initiatives (ZERI)
Lowell Center for Sustainable Production
Product Stewardship Institute (PSI)
International
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)
Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA)
Zero Waste Western Australia
Zero Waste Kovalam (India)
Institute for Zero Waste in Africa
State and Local groups
Zero Waste Communities of San Bernardino
California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA)
Californians Against Waste (CAW)
California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB)
Southwest Network for Zero Waste
Citizens Environmental Coalition
Central Texas Zero Waste Alliance
Waste to Energy is NOT a Zero Waste Solution
The pioneers of the Zero Waste movement in the U.S. —Eco-Cycle among them—were very clear in the mid-90s that zero waste to landfill was not the same thing as Zero Waste. Zero Waste is about making the best choice with our natural resources — from extraction to production to consumption to disposal. It involves a constant evaluation about our materials’ choices and a strong commitment to eliminating waste, not just treating it.
The Zero Waste movement and Eco-Cycle continue to be, very clear on our view that the current waste-to-
energy (WTE) technologies in the marketplace are actually a waste of energy, money and natural resources. For all the fancy talk about “conversion technologies” (including plasma, gasification and pyrolysis), the workhorse of the industry remains mass burn systems that make some of the dirtiest, most expensive electricity on the planet.
WTE makes no sense environmentally, economically or socially:
- it has the most greenhouse gases (GHG) per fuel type
- its emissions contain dangerous air pollutants
- it’s the most expensive form of electricity
- it fails to create a fraction of the jobs created by recycling and composting
- WTE produces only a fraction of the energy that can be saved through recycling
Get the facts on why WTE makes no sense environmentally, economically or socially. Download Waste OF Energy: Why Incineration is Bad for our Environment, Economy and Community.
See how Zero Waste and WTE compare on the community level with this report for the city of Boulder, Colorado: Why Zero Waste is better than Waste to Energy for Boulder
Eco-Cycle Media Presents
Zero Waste Systems
Showing the Video
Eco-Cycle sells DVDs of Zero Waste Systems through our Eco-Store. Pick up a copy today for group presentations.
