BOOK | Zero Waste Living the 80/20 Way—Three Steps Toward a Lighter Footprint
/Stephanie Miller, former head of the Climate Business Group at the International Finance Corporation, morphed her work on climate solutions into a personal campaign toward a lighter carbon footprint—finding solutions in her own life that greatly diminished her family’s carbon-related consumption, as well as their waste. She shares her journey of discovery in a succinct, engaging book filled with easy-to-adopt everyday tips. Photo: Courtesy Ibrahim Ajaja/The World Bank
“Zero Waste Living the 80/20 Way is a little green guide that revolutionized my perspective on reducing my carbon and waste footprint.” —Faith Model
Last fall, a friend and I were bemoaning the flood of single use plastic we were seeing as a result of the pandemic. We were simultaneously choking on smoke from the forest fires suffocating our small Wyoming town. Worried and frustrated, we felt powerless in the face of climate change in an increasingly divided and fractious world. I often threw around the idea of going vegan, buying an electric car, and living off the grid, but it’s a lot easier to talk about those things than to take action on them (especially with two young children who adore butter and cheese). The least I could do was reduce our plastic use, but everywhere I turned I saw plastic—it was inescapable! I felt stuck. When spring arrived I was introduced to Stephanie Miller’s book, Zero Waste Living the 80/20 Way: The Busy Person’s Guide to a Lighter Footprint. It’s a little green guide that revolutionized my perspective and approach to reducing my carbon and waste footprint.
Faith Model’s daughter, Lulu, places food scraps in their new compost bucket, while brother Seppe looks on. Photo: Faith Model
Stephanie Miller spent her career tackling big issues: climate change, poverty, and empowering women. When she left her job as director of the Climate Business Department—and then as Director of Western Europe—at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to spend more time with her son, her work in green building solutions was one of IFC’s greatest climate success stories. During her year off, however, she turned her focus inward and began asking different, more personal, questions: “What can we—as individuals—do to reverse the current climate and waste crises? Could individual actions have a ripple effect that could lead to systemic change? If so, how could busy people make the necessary changes?” Instead of throwing her hands up in the air as I had done, her year off turned into an extensive research project that culminated in this powerful little manual. And thanks to Stephanie, my family is now starting to compost, we eat more plant-based meals, and I just started buying used clothes. I spoke with Stephanie earlier this summer. —Faith Model
Interview by Faith Model
Faith Model: You had a successful 25-year career working for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), ten of which were working on implementing ambitious and achievable climate change mitigation strategies at the institutional level. What motivated your shift in focus from macro change to individual change?
Stephanie Miller: I was lucky in my career to hold positions that had a lot of meaning to me. I loved being able to shape the institution’s direction on climate change and I felt privileged to work with businesses and governments trying to do the right thing. But I didn’t love the contradiction I often felt when I would come home from work and realized I wasn’t doing much in my own life to ensure I was living sustainably.
I admit feeling paralyzed and overwhelmed by all the ways in which I was not doing enough. I knew, for example, that my transportation choices were very carbon intensive: Flying frequently for work didn’t feel like a choice, but driving every day to work—though time saving for me—always made me feel guilty. My thinking went something like this: “If I can’t do anything about the really big choices then why bother with the other stuff? How much difference would it make anyway?”
Then, two years ago, I left my career at the IFC and decided to take a “gap year” before heading into my next endeavor. I suddenly had time on my hands to figure out what I could do in my personal life that would make a difference in addressing the waste and climate crises. I did a lot of research, visited all the recycling facilities in my area, got my local dry cleaners to adopt a reusable bag program, began eating a more plant-based diet and started composting. And my research showed me that I could make a difference.
“The 80/20 principle comes from economics: It simply refers to the idea that not all actions are equal and there’s often a rule of thumb that with just 20% effort on the right things, we can achieve 80% of the results we are seeking.”
FM: When I picked up your book I was very curious about the concept of an 80/20 approach to zero waste living. Can you explain what you mean by that?
SM: Yes, I love this concept. The 80/20 principle comes from economics: It simply refers to the idea that not all actions are equal and there’s often a rule of thumb that with just 20% effort on the right things, we can achieve 80% of the results we are seeking. For example, at my workplace we used to say 80% of our business comes from just 20% of our clients. We put a lot of effort into nurturing those client relationships.
There are thousands of actions we can take to try to get to a zero waste lifestyle. But they are not equally impactful. So, I set out to find the easiest, most impactful things I could do to live sustainably. In other words, I set out on a quest to find the 80/20 rule for zero waste living.
A largely plant-based diet is one of the most important steps we can take as individuals to decrease our carbon footprint. Here, Stephanie buys micro greens—placed in her reusable cotton produce bag—at the Palisades Farmer’s Market in Washington, DC. Photo: Corey Sulser
FM: You came up with three guiding objectives: Focus on food, purge plastic, recycle right. You call these “the magic three.” What makes these three initiatives so valuable?
SM: The 80/20 rule led me to these three themes. My goal in combing through the many sustainable actions we can each take is finding actions that lie at the intersection of ease and impact.
For example, it may be highly impactful to quit flying, but that’s not always a choice. Our job may require us to travel, and we want to visit our relatives and friends. So avoiding air travel does not make the 80/20 cut (I do always try to reduce my carbon footprint by booking direct flights).
On the other hand, I realized that actions related to food, plastics and recycling were relatively easy to implement, and highly impactful. That’s why these three themes became my guiding objectives.
“Not all animal protein is equal...a kilogram of beef is responsible for 60 kilograms of carbon emissions. But a kilogram of chicken is responsible for six kilograms, 10 times less than beef. And a kilogram of wild-caught fish is responsible for half as much as chicken—3 kilograms of carbon emissions.”
FM: You stated that the single most influential thing we can do to reduce our carbon footprint is to adopt a plant-based diet. But for some people, that’s a tall order. If they don’t want to completely give up meat, are there other action steps they can take?
SM: Yes and there are two action steps I recommend. First: Adopt a more plant-based diet. This does not necessarily mean becoming a vegetarian, it simply means putting more emphasis on plant-based meals.
My goal for our household is to try to eat three to four vegetarian dinners every week. My breakfasts are already plant-based, as are most of my lunches. But dinner has been a tougher nut to crack. I’ve found some great vegetarian meals that are winners in our household and easy to prepare. I’m just now trying recipes from the cookbook, The Zero Waste Chef. I am really enjoying the dishes and the philosophy behind them.
The second thing I recommend is to consider the carbon intensity of food. Not all animal protein is equal. For example, a kilogram of beef is responsible for 60 kilograms of carbon emissions. But a kilogram of chicken is responsible for six kilograms—or ten times less than beef. And a kilogram of wild-caught fish is responsible for half as much as chicken: Three kilograms of carbon emissions. Every meal is a choice. The more often we choose the less carbon intensive meal, the better.
FM: What I learned about food waste shocked me. For one thing, I didn’t realize food waste was such an enormous contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (8% of global emissions). What exactly is food waste and how much of the responsibility belongs to the individual households?
SM: This was a shocker for me as well. Food waste occurs along the entire supply chain: At the farm level, in grocery stores, hotels, restaurants and in households. What was so surprising to me is that in the U.S., the largest source of food waste occurs in households. According to a 2019 study by the U.S. non-profit, ReFED, consumers account for nearly 40 percent of food waste (compared to the food service sector, which accounts for less than 16 percent).
What’s empowering about this is that households can do something about the problem. Some food waste is unavoidable: Things like banana peels and chicken bones. But most food waste is the result of bringing more food into our homes than we can consume. The obvious way to solve the problem is to do meal planning and always grocery shop with a list. But once the food is in your home, you need a strategy. There are a few things that have worked well for us in drastically reducing our food waste:
A two-minute daily rundown of what needs to be consumed next in the fridge, notes Stephanie, is an important step in avoiding carbon-producing food waste. Photo: Stephanie Miller
We do a daily fridge review. It takes two minutes and really makes a difference. Move forward any food that will go bad in the next day or two. We place these items on a shelf labelled, “Eat Me First.” And we store most food in clear Pyrex containers or glass jars, so everything is visible.
We use our freezer liberally. I am amazed at how many foods I can successfully freeze: All kinds of dairy, soup stock, fresh herbs, tomato paste, and leftover lemon juice. This is a game changer in reducing food waste and saving trips to the grocery store.
We have instituted a weekly leftovers night, which ensures we eat the things we have good intentions to finish.
FM: I’ve always considered carbon dioxide to be the bad boy of greenhouse gas emissions. But it sounds like methane deserves that title far more than Co2. Why is this so important to understand?
SM: Yes, methane is one of the bad boys known as “super climate pollutants” or “short-lived climate pollutants.” These do not stay in the atmosphere for long but they are much more damaging in the short term than CO2.
For more about these pollutants, there’s a great new book out on the subject which lays out the problem but also explains why there’s hope if we stop emitting these super pollutants quickly. The book is called Cut Super Climate Pollutants Now! and I highly recommend it. It’s a short but compelling read.
FM: Why is composting so important?
In her backyard, Stephanie covers her compost with leaves from her yard. The composting process requires a year for food scraps, dried leaves and other plant matter to decompose into a nutrient-rich soil perfect for gardening. Photo: Matt Harrington
SM: Aside from ensuring we eat what we buy, composting is one of the best ways to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with food waste. One of the reasons food waste is a climate change problem is that it produces methane when the food decomposes without oxygen in landfills. Methane is a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. When we compost food waste, oxygen is introduced into the decomposition process so methane emissions are avoided.
While it’s best, of course, to reduce food waste as much as possible, the unavoidable food waste we produce (like egg shells, vegetable peels and even coffee grounds) can be easily combined with leaves and other “browns” to decompose with the help of oxygen, heat and moisture. In time, the result is a wonderful organic soil rich in nutrients and a gardener’s delight.
Backyard composting even in winter: Coffee grounds and egg shells can also be combined with produce food scraps. Photo: Stephanie Miller
FM: The impact of the beef industry on climate change is astonishing—14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But are all cattle operations created equal? I wonder about buying local grass-finished beef. Is that just as bad as your average feedlot cow?
SM: You’re absolutely right…the greenhouse gas emissions from the beef industry depend a lot on the type of cattle operation. But what I’ve come to understand is that it’s not as straightforward as we might think.
The greenhouse gas emissions from the beef industry depend on several factors, not just whether the cows eat grass versus grain. We associate cows with methane production due to their digestive process, but methane and nitrous oxide—both very potent greenhouse gases—are also produced when the soil is damaged from overgrazing. There’s a movement known as regenerative agriculture that tries to address this by ensuring careful management of livestock grazing, including reduction in pesticides and fertilizers, carbon sequestration, and topsoil restoration.
From a health perspective, grass-fed beef is certainly a healthier option. My own doctor has recommended I choose this option when eating beef. My personal bottom line on this subject: I limit myself to one beef-based meal per month and I choose grass-fed beef for that meal.
“Plastic production is a large contributor to climate change and is toxic to the health of residents and workers near plastic production facilities… And even for those who do not live near such facilities, data shows we are all ingesting and breathing in microplastics, the health effects of which are only now being studied.”
FM: Purging plastics seems so pressing and so overwhelming, especially after this past year where we witnessed so much single plastic use because of the pandemic. But why is plastic the scourge of the Earth? What makes it so harmful on so many levels?
SM: Plastics—especially single-use plastics—are so ubiquitous and so hard to avoid. And we saw more of it than ever during the pandemic.
Stephanie approached the owners of President Valet, her dry cleaner in Washington, DC, proposing they offer reusable garment bags, rather than wrapping clean clothing in single-use plastic. The idea has taken off, and the bags are now used by a third of their customers. A major contributor to plastic waste, a staggering 300 million pounds of single-use plastic from dry cleaning packaging ends up in the US landfill every year. Photo: Stephanie Miller
Plastics are harmful in many ways. First, there’s the obvious effect on our ecosystems. We’ve seen the pictures of ocean gyres as large as countries and the close-up picture of the sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck in its nostril. But besides the damage to our fragile ecosystems, there are many other ways in which plastic does harm.
Plastic production is a large contributor to climate change and is toxic to the health of residents and workers near plastic production facilities. Plastics are an environmental justice issue, as most petrochemical facilities and plastic-burning incinerators are located near communities of color, low-income communities and Indigenous communities. And even for those who do not live near such facilities, data shows we are all ingesting and breathing in microplastics, the health effects of which are only now being studied.
Mr. and Mrs. In, the owners of President Valet, report their customers love the reusable garment bags that Stephanie encouraged them to create and sell for dry cleaning pickup. Photo: Stephanie Miller
These issues are what drive many individuals in the zero waste movement to do all they can to reduce their contribution to the plastics problem. It is certainly what drives me to make my best possible effort.
But it would be unfair to assume that individuals can solve the plastics crisis. There is so much that needs to be done by government and businesses to get at the root of the problem. It’s very encouraging to see some of the legislation that is starting to surface at the state and national level. This year, Maine became the first state to establish an “extended producer responsibility” (known as EPR) program requiring companies that create consumer packaging to pay for the cost of recycling it. A similar bill in Oregon was recently signed by the governor.
At the national level, the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021 would do a lot to drastically reduce the amount of plastic pollution in the U.S. by reducing plastic production, phasing out disposable plastics, and increasing recycling rates including by shifting responsibility for waste management and recycling to manufacturers. It’s worth taking a moment to let your members of Congress know that passing this bill is important to you. It matters a lot.
“When we do shop in grocery stores, I look out for those that have package-free, “naked produce” options, as well as dried goods in bulk. We bring our own reusable cotton bags for everything from apples and lettuce in the produce section to rice and cashews in the bulk sections.”
FM: What are some of the ways you’ve reduced plastic in your own household?
SM: There are some really easy ways to reduce your household’s plastic: We shop for seasonal food as much as possible and frequent our local farmer’s markets. What I love about the farmer’s market is that you can almost always bring your own containers and bags—vendors are happy to save on their own packaging. Plus the food is local, fresh and delicious.
When we do shop in grocery stores, I look out for items that have package-free, “naked produce” options, and dried goods in bulk. We bring our reusable cotton bags for everything from apples and lettuce to rice and cashews. We throw the reusable bags inside the grocery bags we keep in our car.
Selecting “naked,” package-free produce at the the farmer’s market, Stephanie places the items in her own reusable produce bags. Photo: Corey Sulser
We also avoid beverages in plastic bottles. I take my reusable water bottle with me everywhere. For juice or milk, cardboard-based containers like Tetrapak are more easily recyclable than plastic. In our quest to avoid single-use packaging, we were excited to find a local dairy farm that delivers milk in glass bottles that can be returned empty the following week!
For household goods, these are some of the easiest switches to make:
Use bar soap instead of using liquid soap. And buy soap package free, if possible.
Use cloth napkins instead of paper on a daily basis instead of just for special occasions. This saves on plastic packaging as well.
Avoid using paper towels by creating a non-paper towel system: Use a stack of washcloths as substitute paper towels, and wash them with your other towels.
FM: I’ve been fed up with how many “health food” companies are still using plastic packaging. So I recently wrote to one of them and asked them about it. I received an enthusiastic response stating that they had shifted from petroleum-based plastic to “industrial compostable plant-based material.” It sounds encouraging, but I wonder if it’s just another form of greenwashing… How do you feel about bioplastics?
SM: So, first of all, I think it’s fantastic that you wrote to the company and told them you would prefer they not use plastic packaging. No matter what business decision they end up making, you are a paying customer and they care what you think.
I have really mixed views about bioplastics and other so-called compostable materials. As long as we, the customers, are the ones responsible for disposal of packaging, it’s unrealistic to assume that we have access to “industrial composting facilities,” which means this packaging will likely not actually be composted but contribute to the waste stream. However, I do find it encouraging whenever we can move away from petroleum-based plastic. The production process for plastics is so toxic that it’s always worth exploring alternatives.
FM: What do you mean by “recycle right”?
SM: “Recycle right” simply means knowing your jurisdiction’s recycling rules and following them carefully.
Stephanie and her family have all but eliminated paper towels in their home, opting instead to keep a basket of washcloths on their countertop. Paper towel use in the US tops out at 13 billion pounds annually—far exceeding any other country. A ton of the disposable wipes consumes 17 trees and 20,000 gallons of water. Photo: Reyn Anderson
I was struck a few years ago by a data point I came across in Paul Hawken’s Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming. The authors show that if household recycling rates improved enough that the “laggards” (countries and cities whose recycling rates are 35 percent or lower) increased their recycling rates to the levels of the front-runners (with recycling rates of 65 percent or more), we could avoid greenhouse gas emissions per year equivalent to taking 600 million cars off the road. That’s hugely impactful!
Recycling is something many of us think about on a daily basis, so why not spend a few minutes getting it right? It’s as simple as doing an online search for “recycling rules near me” to learn about your local guidelines. This search should direct you to the website maintained by your local government body that administers the recycling program. It’s in their interest that you get it right, so they provide great materials on “do’s and don’ts” that you can print and place near your recycling point in your home.
About half of the U.S. population has access to a residential recycling program. My hope is that the other half will have improved access as a result of some of the pending legislation. Meanwhile, for the rest of us, we can feel pretty good about the contribution we are making by recycling with intention, an individual act that makes a difference.
FM: Can you explain “wish cycling” and some of the other pitfalls people fall into with recycling?
SM: Ah, “wish cycling!” This is when we place something in the recycle bin that we really hope is acceptable but we are just not sure. We have all done this, right? I know I used to.
The problem with “wish cycling” is that, if we get it wrong, we are creating inefficiency in the system. (We indirectly pay for this inefficiency through our local taxes). What is worse is that wish cycling can create contamination for the rest of the otherwise-recyclable items in the bin or even cause worker safety issues.
The worst offender—and I admit I used to do this!—is when we toss our recyclables in a plastic bag before placing them in the bin. That plastic bag does not belong in the recycle bin. Why? If it is not caught early in the sorting process, it can get stuck in the metal rollers, gum up the machinery, shut down the entire facility for hours, and possibly cause worker injury when they try to remove the plastic bag.
In fact, this is the most common mistake well-intentioned individuals make. The thin plastic film is recyclable but not by residential programs. Instead, this and other flimsy, stretchy plastic packaging (think: newspaper bags, bread bags, dry cleaning plastic wrap) can be brought to participating stores which partner with private companies to turn plastic film into items such as flooring and decking. In my area, participating stores include Giant, Safeway and Whole Foods.
FM: The iconic 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. We all know this slogan, but to be honest, I’ve only ever taken action on the recycle piece. Recycling is such a straightforward concept (in theory) whereas reducing and reusing seem sort of vague and easier to shrug off. But after reading your book I have a whole new perspective! Can you talk about the relevance of embracing “reduce” and “reuse”?
SM: You are not alone. As you say, recycling is something most of us think about every week, if not every day. The concepts of reduce and reuse are not as clear.
“I am not advocating not buying anything ever again, but it has helped me a lot to use some tricks to stop myself from impulse buying. One trick is to stop all non-food purchases for a period of time. A Buy Nothing Month forces me to put things I think I want on a list…”
What is important about the 3 R’s slogan is that there is an order to it. Recycling comes last because it takes energy to recycle, and resources and energy were already used to produce the item. “Reduce” comes first because it is the best of our options. The beauty of “reducing” is that, if we never buy the thing to begin with, then we have avoided using our consumer influence to signal demand for the item and we don’t have to worry whether it’s disposable when we’re done with it. No extraction of natural resources was needed for the item you never bought, no energy was needed to produce it, and we are not contributing to the waste crisis.
Refilling soap bottles at a zero waste shop—Mason & Greens—in Alexandria, Virginia, saves scores of plastic bottles each year and lessens the load on recycling. Photo: Robin Weisman
So how do we begin to reduce?
I am not advocating not buying anything ever again, but it has helped me a lot to use some tricks to stop myself from impulse buying. One trick is to stop all non-food purchases for a period of time: A “Buy Nothing Month” forces me to put things I think I want on a list. At the end of the month, I can ask myself whether I really need that thing.
Another shift that has made a big difference is gifting my friends and family experiences, rather than things.
For “reuse,” I also have some things I do that help:
A few close friends set up a WhatsApp group where we agree to let each other know when we need to borrow something or are looking to give something away…a kitchen gadget, an extra tomato plant, a sewing machine. Why buy something new when you only need to use it once or twice?
I’m also more careful than I used to be about finding a new home for items I no longer need, so they have a better chance of being reused instead of trashed. Neighborhood list serves are great for this. I have had a lot of success with the Trash Nothing app, where I post a picture of an item that could be used by someone else. I often have items taken off my hands within 24 hours.
FM: What is the difference between biodegradable and compostable and why is it important to know the difference?
SM: The term “biodegradable” refers to a product that can be decomposed without oxygen and degrades within a reasonable period of time. But this term is not used consistently and leads to a lot of confusion. The term “compostable” assumes oxygen is used in the decomposition process. All compostable items are biodegradable but not all biodegradable items are compostable.
FM: I’m really motivated by your book, but I also feel like my effort toward zero-waste is a choice that I’m privileged enough to consider. I wonder about all the people out there who are barely scraping by, who don’t have the time or resources to even think about their carbon and waste footprint. Do you feel like the zero-waste movement is a choice mostly available to the privileged?
Yes and no. I actually get this question a lot and I think it’s a good one to ask.
My simple answer is that adopting a zero-waste lifestyle will look different for everyone because everyone’s situation is different. I always say: Do what you can. No matter what, the goal is to do the easy and impactful things. Most of us cannot quit our jobs to become climate activists.
A single mom living paycheck to paycheck will want to get her children nutritious meals as often as possible and cooking at home is the best way to ensure this. But time is the issue. Cooking a couple of meals, in large quantities, on a day off can go a long way. And freezing some of the leftovers in smaller portions provides meals for another evening.
You don’t need money to avoid food waste. In fact, reducing food waste saves a lot of money. According to Recycle Track Systems, Inc, the average American family of four throws out $1,600 a year in produce. But whether you are wealthy or financially strapped—you do need a plan for what you bring home. Planning weekly meals and always grocery shopping with a list are key to avoiding excess purchases.
Those who are privileged tend to have more time and more money. This may mean they have the luxury of going to the farmers’ market on the weekend for fresh, local, organic produce and go to a zero-waste bulk store on another day for unpackaged lentils and rice. They are sending signals with their consumer dollars, so that’s important. Everyone should do what they can.
FM: After reading your book I feel far more empowered about what I, as an individual, can do. Yet, I still feel this nagging sense that it’s not enough. I live in a conservative community where most people are in various stages of climate change denial, cattle ranching is a way of life, and there is extremely limited recycling (no curbside, no glass, no aseptic, etc). There is also plastic, plastic everywhere. In communities like mine, it feels like there is too much onus on a consumer that has no interest in changing their behavior. What advice do you have for me?
Stephanie visited the Materials Recycling Facility in Maryland while working on her book, Zero Waste Living the 80/20 Way. Photo: Kath Campbell
SM: Just as we discussed before, everyone’s situation is different and every community is different.
In an ideal world, we are surrounded by sustainability-minded people, there are abundant farmer’s markets and bulk shopping opportunities in our vicinity, our tap water is safe to drink, and residential recycling is available.
In the real world, many folks live in areas where local grocers do not offer fresh unpackaged produce, let alone bulk shopping; half of the U.S. population does not have access to a residential recycling program; and many people live in communities without safe drinking water.
I would advise you to go easy on yourself and look for the opportunities that do exist. Tackling food waste in your home and adopting a more plant-based diet are highly impactful actions that do not rely on others.
Other zero waste activities are doable on your own and even better when they are noticed by others: We have power through our own behaviors in setting new social norms. If you have safe drinking water, carry your reusable bottle with you wherever you go. When others notice this, you make this practice more socially acceptable. When you go out to eat, bring a reusable container with you for leftovers. Again, when others notice, all the better.
As a like-minded friend recently said to me: Imagine if everyone we knew did what we do! It would make all the difference.
To learn more of Stephanie’s tips on lessening your carbon and waste footprint, purchase her book, Zero Waste Living the 80/20 Way, on Amazon. You can learn more about her work by visiting her website, and on Instagram.
If you are interested in having Stephanie Miller present at an event, please contact us.
Faith Model is a writer based in Cody, Wyoming. Connect with Faith on Instagram.
At farmer’s markets berries are sold in paper baskets, rather than the ubiquitous plastic clamshell containers which are not recyclable. Photo: Corey Sulser