ZERO

WAST
Being aware of the harm we are causing to our planet is the first step towards switching
to a more sustainable lifestyle. Every day, the media outlets report on the ever-growing

E
plastic pollution accumulating in oceans worldwide, and the tremendous impact it has on
the environment and even on our own health. Farming has been proven to have a huge
carbon footprint because of the large amounts of energy it consumes. Similarly, livestock
breeding for human consumption emits vast amounts of gases that contribute to global
warming. So, what can we as individuals do to stop harming the environment? Zero
Waste can be the answer.

GOING ZERO WASTE

The Zero Waste movement is based on five actions called the “5 Rs”.
1) Refuse the things you don’t need.
2) Reduce consumption and purchasing, and try to just buy stuff that is really
indispensable since we already own enough things and huge amounts of
them.
3) Reuse, and try to repair, as many things as possible, so don’t buy
disposable objects, and try to give a second life to the ones you already have
– this is also called ‘upcycling’.
4) Recycle everything you can.
5) Rot, meaning ‘recycle’ all organic materials, turning them into compost you
can use as fertiliser.

CONSCIOUS LIFESTYLE

In many cities around the world, local groups have formed to follow the Zero Waste
philosophy. Their common mission is to promote sustainability by organizing talks and
meet-ups to share insights and educate the community. A Zero Waste Week takes place
every year in many countries all over the world. In the UK, for example, it takes place in
the first week of September.

LESS PLASTIC

Avoiding plastic is the first step to help mitigate many environmental issues. How can
you do it? You can start with simple actions like refusing straws for drinks, because they
pollute the oceans. You can also carry a cloth bag when you go to the supermarket in
order to avoid consuming plastic shopping bags. Note that in Norway every citizen uses
only two plastic bags per year on average! You can use a glass bottle and refill it with tap
water instead of plastic single-use bottles. With a zero waste approach you do not only
reduce trash but also save money. The future depends on you, don’t waste it!  

EIGHT STEPS TO ZERO WASTE

Here are a few more little measures you can take if you want to be part of the solution:

1. Use public transportation instead of a private car; it has a lower environmental impact.
2. Buy things in local, second-hand and/or fair-trade shops.
3. Try not to eat meat every day and avoid plastic packaging for your food.
4. Do your laundry when the washing machine is full.
5. Unplug your devices, such as mobile chargers, when not using them. They consume
energy even when not in use.
6. If you use air conditioning, the temperature should not be lower than 24ºC.
7. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving.
8. If you go on a trip, empty and turn off your fridge to reduce energy consumption.
EXER
CISES
1. Before you start. Answer the questions
with a partner.

1. Have you heard of the Zero Waste movement?

2. Do you think it’s possible to produce no waste at
all? Why (not)?
3. What advice do you think the article will give to
people who want to adopt a more sustainable
lifestyle?

2. Listen/Read and answer. Read these statements. Then listen (without

reading) and complete them.

1. The article mentions the problem of plastic pollution in ________ all over the
world.

2. Farming consumes large amounts of ________.

3. The suggestions that the Zero Waste movement gives people are called the
________ Rs.

4. A Zero Waste ________ takes place in many countries every year.

5. The article says the first step towards improving the environment is avoiding
________.

6. By following the Zero Waste philosophy, it’s possible to reduce waste and also
_______ ________.

3. Read and answer. Read the article and answer the questions.

1. Why does farming and livestock breeding cause global warming?

2. What changes should people make in their shopping habits?

3. What should people do with organic waste?

4. What examples does the article give of ways to reduce the consumption of
plastic?

5. What changes should people make to the way they eat?

6. What advice is given about using electronic devices and home appliances?
d) Discuss. Complete these sentences with words from
the text. (You may have to adapt the expression in some
way; e.g. change the verb tense.)

1. We never buy bottled water. We think _______ _______ is

just as good.

2. Many people aren’t ________ of the impact their lifestyle is having on the
climate.

3. Dentists advise people to ________ their teeth after every meal.

4. There’s no Internet connection. Has somebody ________ the Wi-Fi router?

5. My phone calls cost a lot less now because I’ve ________ to different
network.

6. The ________ that Internet trolls are doing on social media is enormous.

e) Ready for the B1 PRELIMINARY English Test? (Paper 1, Reading: Part

5). Choose the correct word in brackets for each space.

It is calculated that the 1_________ (medium/average/usual/middle) American

produces about two kilos of rubbish a day. For the supporters of the Zero Waste
Movement, it is not enough to simply reduce this production. They 2_________
(aim/would/will/prove) to eliminate it completely.

There are 3_________ (several/much/plenty/lots) Zero Waste blogs that

show their followers how to do this. One of these 4_________
(owns/reports/follows/belongs) to Bea Johnson, a French woman 5_________
(live/lives/living/lived) in California, who was named “The Priestess of Waste-
Free Living” 6________ (from/to/by/of) the New York Times.

Bea Johnson was the first person 7_________ (who/that/for/to) promote

the zero-waste lifestyle through her book, Zero Waste Home, and her blog, which
8
_________ (is/has/was/did) become enormously popular. She 9_________
(complains/advises/tells/claims) that the waste she and her family produce
yearly would easily 10_________ (fit/be/stay/come) into a one-litre jar.

DISCUSS!

 Do you use public transport to travel to school? (If not, why not?)
 Do you sometimes buy things you don’t really need? (What, for
example?)
 Do you use any disposable things? (Paper napkins, paper handkerchiefs,
plastic cups, etc.)
 Do you ever buy second-hand clothes? Why (not)?
 Are there any shops in your area that sell food without packaging?
 Is there anything more you and your family could do to reduce waste? If
so, what?
Answers

B – Listen and answer

1. oceans 2. energy 3. 5 4. Week 5. plastic 6. save money

C – Read and answer

1. Because farming consumes a lot of energy, so it has a huge carbon footprint

and also livestock breeding emits vast amounts of gases. 2. They should only
buy things that are really necessary. They shouldn’t buy disposable objects. They
should shop in second-hand and fair-trade shops. 3. They should turn it into
compost that they can use as fertiliser. 4. Refusing straws, using cloth
shopping bags, using glass bottles and buying food without plastic packaging.
5. They should eat less meat. 6. They should be unplugged when not in use.
Air conditioners should not be set at lower than 24°C. Fridges should be emptied
and unplugged when you go away on a trip.

D – Learn it! Use it!

1. tap water 2. aware 3. brush 4. unplugged 5. switched 6. harm

E – Ready for the B1 PRELIMINARY English Test?

1. average 2. aim 3. several 4. belongs 5. living 6. by 7. to 8. has

9. claims 10. fit
 VIDE
O
LESS
How much rubbish do you throw away each day?

ON
Lauren Singer studied environmental science and
decided to change her lifestyle to try and
produce less waste. She's now known as 'zero
waste girl'!

Do the preparation task first. Then watch the

video and do the exercise.

1. Preparation. Match the vocabulary with the correct definition

and write a–j next to the numbers 1–10.

a.rubbish (British English)

1........a hypocrite
b. New York University
2........organic.
c.someone who pretends to have qualities, beliefs
3........NYU
or feelings that they do not really have
4........to eliminate
d.to buy something in large quantities
5........a vegan
e.a person's judgement of what is important in life
6........garbage cans (American
f.to remove or take away something
English)
g.a person who does not eat or use animal
7........trash (American English)
products
8........compostable
h.rubbish bins (British English)
9........values
i.grown or made without any artificial chemicals
10........to buy in bulk
j.something that will break down naturally and
easily and can go back into the earth –similar to
'biodegradable
2. Check your understanding: multiple choice. Circle the best
answer to these questions.

1. How many pounds of rubbish a day does the average American

produce?
a. 2.5 pounds (1.1kilos)
b. 3.4 pounds (1.5kilos)
c. 4.3 pounds (2.0kilos)

2. How many jars of rubbish did Lauren produce in two years?

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

3. When did Lauren get the idea to become zero waste?

a.When she was a senior at YNU.
b. When she was a postgraduate at NYU.
c. When she was a senior at NYU.

4. Why did Lauren decide to change her lifestyle?

a.Because she felt like a hypocrite and wanted to live by her values.
b. Because she’s allergic to plastic.
c. Because she wanted to become a famous vlogger.

5. By composting and buying in bulk, what percentage of her waste has

she eliminated?
a.80 per cent
b. 88 per cent
c. 90 per cent

6. What does Lauren use instead of a sponge?

a. A compostable dish brush
b. A compostable toothbrush
c. A compostable hairbrush

7. What ingredients does she use to make toothpaste?

a.Organic olive oil, baking soda and organic spearmint oil
b. Organic coconut oil, baking soda and organic peppermint oil
c. Organic corn oil, baking soda and organic peppermint oil

8. Why does Lauren suggest you should check out your garbage can or
rubbish bin?
a.To see what food you are wasting.
b. To decide what products you can make yourself.
c. To see all the things you throw away so you can work out how to reduce
waste.
 TRANSCRIPT
Presenter: The average American
produces 4.3lbs (four point three
pounds) of trash a day. That’s almost
sixteen hundred pounds a year but if we
took some simple steps we could go off
the trash grid and minimise thousands of
pounds of waste into just a single jar!
Going off Grid
Lauren Singer: So, this is my trash jar.
Presenter: Two years of trash in this
tiny little jar.
Lauren: Yep!
Presenter: That’s crazy. I mean I
probably produce twenty times this
much in a day.
Lauren: Yep. This is everything basically
that I couldn’t compost or couldn’t
recycle or couldn’t figure out what to do
with.
Presenter: Where did you get this idea
to become zero waste?
instance I buy bulk olive oil, I bring a
mason jar to fill it up. I’ll pick up some
beer from a local shop that sells it in
growlers that are actually reusable so
that’s like a totally waste-free way to
drink.
Presenter: I imagine you get asked a
lot of questions about ‘how do you do
this?’ I’m curious about a few things …
Lauren: OK.
Presenter: I’m going to throw out a few
things too.
Lauren: Sure!
Presenter: Plastic toothbrushes?
Lauren: I use a compostable bamboo
toothbrush.
Presenter: Sponges?
Lauren: I use a compostable dish brush.
Presenter: Paper towels?

Lauren: Erm, it kind of all started when Lauren: Cotton napkins.

I was a senior and in NYU and I was
starting environmental studies. And one
Presenter: Plastic cookware?
day after class I went home to make
dinner and I opened my fridge and I saw
that everything in there was packaged in Lauren: Wooden or stainless steel
plastic and I felt such a hypocrite. We’re utensils.
supposed to be saving the planet and
here you are making all of this trash. I Presenter: Cotton balls?
feel like it’s really important to live your
values and my values are having a really Lauren: Reusable cotton rounds.
low environmental impact. I have to live
like I want that. And so that’s why I’ve Presenter: Drier sheets?
decided to change my lifestyle.
Lauren: Drier balls that I make myself.
Presenter: What was the easiest part
about reducing your waste? Presenter: What about shampoo?

Lauren: I think it was just like seeing Lauren: Bulk castrol soap.
that I didn’t have to do that much to
produce very little waste and by Presenter: Make-up?
composting and buying in bulk I
essentially eliminated eighty per cent of
Lauren: Organic vegan make-up in
my waste. Buying package-free means
recyclable packaging.
needing to have containers to buy things
that you can’t hold with your hands. For
Presenter: Feminine products?
Lauren: Menstrual cup.
Presenter: Gift wrap?
Lauren: Why?
Presenter: OK, so you are going to
teach me how to make toothpaste.
Lauren: Yes!
Presenter: What do I do?
Lauren: So we are going to mix two
tablespoons of organic coconut oil and
then a tablespoon of baking soda and
then about twenty drops of the organic
peppermint oil.
Presenter: So this is how you make
your toothpaste?
Lauren: Ah hem!
Presenter: Let me see your teeth! They
look very nice!
Lauren: Eh yeah!
Presenter: What does your dentist think
about this?
Lauren: They haven’t gotten mad at me
yet so ...!
Presenter: Ha ha!
Lauren: So, I’ll just take this spoon and
scoop it onto my toothbrush.
Presenter: Hee hee. It’s not bad,
actually it’s kinda salty!
Lauren: Yeah! That’s the baking soda.
Presenter: Yeah, my teeth really do feel
cleaner … so …
Lauren: Yeah …
Presenter: … thank you. So do you
have any garbage cans in your home
here?
Lauren: No, I don’t have any garbage
cans in my home.
Presenter: Because you don’t have any
garbage?
Lauren: Exactly!
Presenter: It really does compel me to
want to try to reduce my waste so what
tips would you give me or somebody else
that wants to do that as well?
Lauren: Yeah, I would suggest, you
know, look in your garbage can and see
what your garbage is and until you do
that you don’t really know what you’re
reducing, right? Step 2. Using a reusable
bag instead of plastic or paper bag. Just
like, easy one-time changes and then the
last one would be to actually make your
products yourself. So learn how to make
toothpaste, learn how to make
deodorant. It’s a really fun thing to do.
Presenter: What is your ultimate goal?
Lauren: Before I lived my lifestyle I
wonder why is there all this trash, and
why is that OK and we have to find the
solutions before it gets out of control.
I’ve never told anyone, 'Oh you should
live this lifestyle' or 'You have to live this
way'. Erm, I kind of live my lifestyle and
put it out there and see what happens.
Answers:

Preparation: 1.c 2.i 3.b 4.f 5.g 6.h 7.a 8.j 9.e 10. d

Check your understanding: multiple choice: 1.c 2.a 3.c 4.a 5.a 6.a 7.b 8.c