Hey earth muffins! If you have been following Life of an Earth Muffin for awhile (which you should be if you aren’t!), you will know I use terms like “zero waste” and “sustainability” often. But, you may be wondering: what is “zero waste”?? Common sustainability terms can have multiple meanings depending on who you talk to… I thought it would be fun to define the terms I use most for you all. That way, we are on the same page and don’t have to question terminology anymore. 😊 Let’s jump right into it!
Zero Waste
If you search on Dictionary.com or other online dictionaries, the term “zero waste” comes up with no results. However, there are plenty of definitions out there. Here is one:
“The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.”
Zero waste alliance
To keep it simple, being “zero waste” means that you aim to create no waste that will end up at the landfill. Reducing what you need and consume, reusing as much as possible, recycling, and composting are great ways to succeed at being zero waste.
“Low” Waste
When people ask me the “what is zero waste” question, I often give them the definition of “low waste”. Similarly to zero waste, the aim is to create very little waste that will end up in the landfill. I find it much easier to strive towards being low waste because there isn’t the pressure of creating absolutely no trash. While that would be amazing, I will never consider myself or this blog zero waste… The current society we live in makes zero waste extremely difficult to achieve, so don’t set yourself up for failure from the start! Low waste is just as important to Mother Earth. 🌎 ❤️
Earth Muffin
If you are reading this post, welcome to the earth muffin family! My blog is called Life of an Earth Muffin because I classify myself as such – and I think you should too. “Earth muffin” is a term my family used to use when I was younger, and it just stuck during my eco journey. Read all about what an earth muffin is here!
Sustainable Living
Again, there is no clear cut definition of “sustainable living”… But I found a few I really like online. Here’s one:
“Sustainable living is a practical philosophy that aims to reduce personal and societal environmental impact by making positive changes which counteract climate change and other negative environmental concerns.”
Sustainable jungle
In short, sustainable living is existing in a way that reduces your carbon footprint. The steps of doing this might be similar to zero/low waste. But, the goal with sustainable living isn’t to directly reduce the amount of trash you produce. This will definitely come with the actions you take to live sustainably; but, the goal of sustainable living is to live your life in a way that adheres to your sustainable values.
Final Thoughts on Common Sustainability Terms
There you have it – definitions for each of the common sustainability terms! 😍 I find that I use terms like sustainability, zero waste, and eco-friendly interchangeably on this blog, so I hope this post was able to help you better understand the slight differences between them all. Plus, it is a good reminder that you are an “earth muffin” through and through. Do you agree with these definitions? Comment below and share what these terms mean to you!
Love,
Jenna ♥
This is such an informative post! Thank you for sharing all of these terms <3