The Struggle is Real

Our Hennepin County Zero Waste Challenge is coming to a close this month. Come May, it will be up to Rob and I to keep up our own motivation. To keep teaching one another. Challenging ourselves. Without that external motivator. We've learned a lot but the journey doesn't stop here.

As I learn more, read more, consider more, this process has me seeking community to further the dialogue. I've turned to articles, authors and blogs that tell the #zerowaste story. There is quite a large community who share the goal of sustainability.

My struggle?

I have lots.

I struggle with wanting to share and talk about this process, without sounding preachy, demeaning, judgey or exclusive.

I struggle with tone and modes of communication around this subject. Are some vehicles better than others? And the fear of talking "at" people and not with people.

I struggle with the term #zerowaste and am decidedly moving towards #lowwastelifestyle to describe my own journey. Zero waste is not realistic or achievable in this day and age. We live in a capitalistic, consumer driver society. We have waste. Our outputs are waste. And yes, recycling and composting, still count as waste.

I struggle with the whole movement being based around a term (#zerowaste) that is not realistic, thereby introducing the conversation as unachievable, exclusive and not possible for the average person.

I struggle with the image of the #trashjar, where the waste of an entire year can fit into one mason jar. I call BS. There are all kinds of things that people make exception and don't put in those jars (ahem, condoms, or what happens when it's the year that you need to get a new mattress?).

I struggle with the lack of diversity within the #zerowaste community and am aware of the voices I am not hearing in the conversation.

I struggle with the fact that this lifestyle can feel privileged. That as you start reading and learning, voices tell you to the buy the perfect this or you need the expensive that. These voices are wrong. You do not need to own anything fancy or specific to be successful (and remember, success is how you define it for yourself).

I struggle with all of the #zerowaste #sustainableliving #ethicalliving bloggers whose articles highlight product after product, brand after brand. Their product endorsement seem counter-intuitive to the ideology, as they encourage more and more consumption. While the brands they endorse might be recyclable packaging, or fair trade clothing, they are still encouraging consumption.

I struggle with how I can push this movement into a more attainable, inclusive approach. How can I illustrate that it's not about perfection or doing everything right? How do I say it's more about questioning your habits, changing your perspective and making an effort in a way that makes sense with your life??

I struggle as I talk to my friends about our journey and I hear all of the barriers we make up for ourselves. That it is too big, and time consuming, and too do-gooding, and perfectionist, and too extremist. In reality, what we are learning is it is very small. It is not big at all. We make small steps, one after another, nothing fancy, not crazy. Small steps that become habit and then another small step. Just little, incremental change. Change that you hardly notice from one day to the next. Sometimes we fail or we forget, but we remember to try again or we find another way. Somehow the impact of all those small efforts add up to a bigger change than any of the individual actions.

I struggle to show that everyone's journey towards sustainability looks different. We are all at different steps and on different paths towards our own success AND THAT'S OK. You do not need to follow my steps, but we might be able to help each other build a staircase.

I struggle with how to emphasize that when it comes to our environment, it is not all or nothing. It's the effort in between that counts. Reducing in one area in life, or one item in the cupboard, is measurable change to our mother earth. And if you can't give up this one thing because time, money, life, etc gets in the way, then maybe there is another spot in your life where there is room for reduction. It looks different for everyone.

I struggle with finding my voice in all of this.

I struggle with running out of #recyclingtips too :)