Long story short, the trash jar is total bollocks. There– I said it. Having a jar filled with the year’s waste is trendy; and yes, I had one. I used an old coconut oil jar from a two-pack I bought from Costco. Somewhere, in an older blog most (most likely tied to my first blog) exists a post about it. I thought it would be a good way for me to measure and limit what I was buying. It did just that; however, so did going through my trash at the start of going low-waste. Then I got to thinking about it. What was the point actual of having just a jar? Sure, a trash jar is a conversation piece, but is it actually providing purpose? In my case, it did no more for me than sorting and taking stock in the beginning did. Since I’m not a public speaker, and I don’t go around with the jar of trash everywhere I go, there was really no need to keep it.

Being able to fit “X” amount of non-recyclable, non-compostable, etc. waste in a jar is also misleading. It doesn’t mean that I, nor anyone else who has/had one, is perfect. We are all far from it. The information I see in videos and blogs tends to revolve around product packaging that is available, but rarely do they touch on waste as a whole. There are so many resources and types of waste that are byproducts of everything that is created from conception to shelves, whether it is furniture, clothing, food, labels, toiletries, etc. The same goes for second-hand, but on a smaller scale since the end product has already been created. Places still use tags, labels, etc. that may not be recyclable/repurposed. Thus, what you see in the jar is not representative of the whole process. For instance, if you purchase a bamboo toothbrush without packaging (or in something truly recyclable/compostable), it looks like you’re not contributing to the waste stream. In reality, the manufacturing process of that toothbrush created waste and used disposable resources. The consumer never sees it.

Let’s take a look at food waste. Food is a common concern when going waste-free because of all the product packaging, mostly made of plastic or mixed materials. If you decide to take part in the jar challenge, chances are the majority will be packaging from snack items, produce and anything else that isn’t soiled. Let’s say you’re not ready to give up ready-made snacks, and you’re not too keen on making alternatives. One thing you can do is go through Terracycle. They take everyday wrappers and other items we tend to just toss away and break them down. The separated materials then get turned into new products. There are a few free programs, but the majority require payment. So yes, you pay for them to recycle your wrappers. To me, it’s worth it if the separated materials can be made into new items and less waste is headed to the landfill. Maybe waste management companies can utilize their services instead of just burying the trash and taking over more habitats. Some say it’s a cop-out, but it’s a better option, especially for people in food deserts and with limited access to alternatively-packaged items. Regarding food, there are other things to consider as well. Take the produce you buy. You get an apple. Even if it comes from a local farm, there is a lot to consider. Employees, fertilizers, pesticides (if applicable), water, equipment…these, and more, go into producing that fruit. If you consume meat, there is the upkeep, even in factory farming (I HATE factory farming, and only buy from small local farms when I purchase meat. If the halal option is there, I go for that).

I keep thinking about life when we, as a society, were less wasteful. There was a time not long ago when everything would be used to its fullest. Take a look at the video below. The segment discusses Victorian England, but the same could be said for most, if not all, of the rest of the world (I need to do a little more digging for data). I highly suggest watching the entire series since it discusses all facets of homes throughout the centuries–it focuses on Britain. I love Lucy Worsley, and the series has so much to offer. At around the 38-minute mark, there is an example of how people used everything, from bones to dust and ashes. People were, and are, very resourceful and thrifty. It would be far more beneficial to live that way, although it’s not quite as simple now, than to live by an aesthetic or try to live up to some unrealistic expectation.

There is so much more to waste than what can fit in a jar. Not only do you have to consider the packaging, but all processes from start to finish. From sourcing and/or creating materials, to individual component creation, testing requirements, and more, there is a lot to everything we purchase. It’s unrealistic to think that the trash jar, as fun as the experiment is, is truly representative of accumulated waste. All in all, the trash jar is an unrealistic vessel full of lies and deceit, representing expectations that are unattainable in today’s world…unless you go completely off-gird, live off the land and create everything from scratch without modern tools. Instead of focusing on something that is unrealistic (and let’s face it, so much is still different regarding life during this pandemic), doing even the most seemingly minor change(s) add(s) up when we all take part.

Peace & Love, always!