Zero-waste refers to principles of minimizing waste production as much as possible, thus a zero waste lifestyle is a lifestyle where individuals are mindful of their purchases, the waste they create in their everyday lives, and they try to minimise the amount of waste by applying different strategies, for example, shopping at package free shops, opting for more natural packaging, buying less stuff in general, and other.

The Zero Waste International Alliance has decided on the definition of zero waste – “it is the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse and recovery of products, packaging and materials without burning, and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health”.

They believe that waste is just a symptom of a much deeper malaise that affects us humans. Zero waste is a philosophy aiming to unroot the causes of wastage altogether. And as a consequence, to rethink the way we produce and consume in order to build resilience and natural capital for future generations.