The Johnson family of California are probably the only fail of four who can boast that they create only one quart of garbage a year! That’s only about one cup of garbage per family member a year!
Many people are curious as to how the Johnsons mange such a small amount of waste and the family’s matriarch, Bea Johnson, decided to expose her secrets in her new book, ZERO WASTE HOME.
She explains that the family was one just like any other family who took numerous trips to the mall, spend money frivolously and didn’t do more than they needed to help the environment. Luckily, the entire family felt that despite having it all, they weren’t satisfied and felt that something was missing from their lives.
Ten years later, the family has downsized from their giant home to a modest house within walking distance of Mill Valley, California. Now they live by the five Rs: Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot (compost) and create only four cups of garbage every year.
Johnson says the most important R is the first one: refuse. She says that avoiding bringing things that aren’t necessary into your home and you’ll have much less waste to deal with. Though it’s the most important R, it’s also the easiest of all the rest since it really just requires some common sense.
If you’re like us and you’re worried about craving all the things you’ve become used to, Johnson has a comment about that too. “Maybe there is something you don’t want to give up at first,” she says, “but you find alternatives that you can embrace.”
How do you and your family reduce your household waste? Join the discussion on Facebook or Twitter!
(Image courtesy of Bea Johnson)