With the world’s growing population, waste production is growing rapidly in both volume and toxicity. As per the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American produces about 4.4 pounds of trash a day, which means about 1,600 pounds of trash a year.
Concerned about the impact of this problem on Mother Earth, Lauren Singer, a 23-year-old woman living in New York, is leading a truly zero-waste lifestyle. She graduated from New York University with a degree in environmental studies. She was influenced by her professor, Jeffrey Hollender, who stressed the importance of “living your values” and how our acts are affecting our environment.
Singer is leading a waste-free lifestyle, producing so little waste that she can fit all of her trash from the past two years in a 16 oz. mason jar.
Singer purchases unpackaged foods, including organic fruits and vegetables, bulk whole grains and legumes and a lot of local, seasonal food. She prepares her own toothpaste, body lotion, deodorant, and even laundry detergent. She makes use of reusable bags and uses mason jars to store her food and cleaning products.
Singer is not only doing her share for the earth, but she is also taking her mission to the masses via her blog ‘Trash is for Tossers’. Her blogs provide a step-by-step guide for living off the grid.
