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What is Zero Waste?
"Zero Waste is a set of policies and goals, based on the concept of "waste as a resource", that will lead our community to a sustainable way of living."
"Zero Waste ia a design principle for the 21st Century that seeks to redesign the way resources and materisals flow through society."

There are four central concepts to the Zero Waste system:
1. Changing the Rules to support resource recovery.
2. Producer Resposibility to hold industry liable for creating less toxic and more efficient products.
3. Purchasing for Zero Waste to use our buying power as our voice for Zero waste.
4. Resource Recovery Infrastructure to build the processing and recovery systems that move us toward Zero Waste .
Learn More about the Zero Waste System

Zero Waste communities are developing world wide:
California, Washington, Colorado, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, India, Italy, UK and Canada to name a few.


Zero Waste Kauai is a grassroots organization born from a study conducted by Apollo Kaua'i concerning the Waste to Energy facility proposed by Barlow Industries. We immediately saw the need to curtail the efforts of our government leaders and educate ourselves to the positive benefits and methods of utilizing the Max 3R's.

Zero Waste Kauai's Mission is to advocate, educate and promote the benefits of Zero Waste to our community and leaders in order to achieve an island-wide zero waste management system which conserves resources and diverts waste from the landfill.

Our current goals are: island-wide curbside recycling, including green waste to provide us with soil enriching compost; to turn our trash into a resource; to ban Styrofoam & plastic and most importantly to be wiser consumers.


Links

General Recycling
http://kauai.gov/Government/Departments/PublicWorks/RecyclingPrograms/RecyclingTips/tabid/119/Default.aspx

Specific County recycling Questions
http://kauai.gov/default.aspx?tabid=68

Story of Stuff
www.storyofstuff.com

Story of Bottled Water
storyofstuff.org/bottledwater/

Tapped the Movie
 www.tappedthemovie.com

Zero Waste Communities
www.ecocycle.org

Hawaii County Zero Waste Plan - www.hawaiizerowaste.org ,

Grass Roots Recycling Network - www.grrn.org

Eco-Cycle Inc. - www.ecocycle.org
CalRecycle - www.zerowaste.ca.gov ,
Zero Waste America - www.zerowasteamerica.org ,
Zero Waste Alliance - www.zerowaste.org ,
Sierra Club Zero Waste - www.sierraclub.org/committees/zerowaste ,
Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance - www.no_burn.org,
Kauai County recycling and Solid Waste - http://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments/PublicWorks/SolidWaste/tabid/121/Default.aspx
Reuse Alliance-http://www.reusealliance.org/
City of Palo Alto ZW Website -http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/depts/pwd/zero_waste/default.asp
An interesting site-http://www.community.blueeconomy.de/

A video about a true Zero-Waste Family.... (Who needs a landfill????)
http://vitality.yahoo.com/video-second-act-the-johnson-family-24454760




"Democracy is not a spectator Sport. The future is ours, but only if we actively participate in shaping it"

1.We educate ourselves to the issues of environmental/sustainable concerns.
2. We educate the citizens about best practices in dealing with our solid waste.
3. We encourage and help create legislation with the County leaders to promote Zero Wast practices.
4. We team up with interested organizations or schools to help promote Zero Waste ptractices on campus or for special events.
Whether you are planning a major event like the County Fair or the Taste Of Hawaii, a church fundraiser, a catered banquet or just a baby luau, Zero Waste has a place at each and every event! The goal of achieving “zero waste” may seem daunting and time consuming but in the end the results will be well worth it. This guide will be a key resource to making this task easily accomplished from pre-planning to successful evaluation!


 Read Manual for Event Planning 2011





What can I do NOW?
Get involved a and take a stand. Write the Mayor and County Council Members and request that the administration:

1. MOVE with a sense of urgency in developing a Zero Waste management system for Kaua.i

2. SUPPORT the Zero Waste initiatievs through funding and personnel involvement.

3. ELIMINATE Waste to Energy form the Integrated Solid Waste Plan.

4. HIRE a County Recycling Co-ordinator.

5. FAST TRACK the development of a Material Recovery Facility(MRF)

6. WRITE LETTERS to the editor and testimony to our Counciltestimony@kauai.gov



Recycling in the Workplace
Establishing a practical, cost-effective, sustainable recycling program in the workplace is an achievable goal. Following the steps below will result in the design of an effective program

  1. Select a Recycling Coordinator in the workplace
  2. Conduct a waste stream assessment
  3. Determine which materials to target for recycling
  4. Select your collection contractor
  5. Design your collection system
  6. Promote employee participation

Contact the County Recycling Office at 241-6891 for free technical assistance on assessing your waste stream and detailed recommendations on creating a waste reduction program. A complete description of the steps listed above can be found on line at www.opalla.org.