You never know what you can do until you try. What seems like an impossible challenge one day is just another milestone to even a bigger accomplishment the next.

One family took on the challenge of eliminating all waste from their lives. They wondered, how little waste can we generate?

Reuse, recycle, compost.Their goal for 2010- Zero Waste…

The Strauss family really takes “zero waste” to heart. The British family of 3 produces only 50 grams of rubbish a week – about a handful.

Rachelle, Richard and 8 year old Verona, last had their trash bin picked up a year ago.

They produce almost no waste by reusing everything they can and using as little as possible in the first place. They recycle virtually all of their packaging, compost their food scraps and buy local produce from local farmers, and grow as much as they can themselves. They avoid a lot of packaging by carrying reusable containers to the local butcher and shops.

You’ve got to have a goal, and the Strausses set one for 2009- only one trash can of waste for the entire year. Now they are going for the gold- to throw away nothing at all in 2010.


Mrs. Strauss said in The Courier Mail that "It all started when we watched a TV program about the damage to marine life being caused by plastic contamination. When we started this off it felt like a hassle—a bit like going to the gym—but now we've got into a good routine it's really easy and doesn't cost us any more than before.

"We took our own reusable plastic containers to the butcher and supermarket deli counter, and made sure we bought all our fruit and veg loose, using our reusable bags.”

"We also use vegetable box schemes to have produce delivered, which works out cheaper."

Mrs. Strauss went further, baking her own bread and biscuits and growing potatoes, carrots, cabbages, zucchinis, runner beans and tomatoes in her garden.

The family avoids convenience foods and works to buy only what they need. They compost everything and get creative with leftovers. Lunch becomes soup, eggs added to leftover rice and peas become stir fry, aging fruit becomes smoothies and the birds get bread crusts.

They use rechargeable batteries, buy their clothing at charity shops and sprout plants in non recyclable packaging. They never take a plastic bag from a supermarket. 

"It's taken us 18 months to get to this level and we've put a lot of determination and effort into it," Mrs. Strauss said. "But if everyone just takes a few more steps towards recycling they can make a huge difference across the globe.





The family has a website, www.myzerowaste.com, where they share their recycling secrets. And on Wednesdays they itemize anything they are throwing out, in a weekly "weigh-in" section on their website.

Kiss this baby goodbye…

If you don’t know where you’re going, it’s pretty hard to get there. The Strausses have clear vision of zero waste, and are going there together. What’s your goal?