Eco Ins and Outs for 2026

Oh, how the zero-waste movement has changed since I first went zero-waste. And most of it has been for the better! Let’s talk about some zero-waste swaps and habits I am glad to leave in the past and those that I am happy to carry on into the future.

Zero Waste in 2018

What did zero-waste living look like back in 2018? When I first went zero waste, the movement was full of trash jars, glass everything, biking, farmers markets, and basically everyone doing individual action. Honestly, it was intimidating! I thought for a while that there was no way that I could be zero waste. I was a 19-year-old renter with very little disposable income. I couldn’t add solar panels to my apartment, I couldn’t drop everything to buy an EV, and I lived on an island, so I simply could not give up flying. And…I felt like I would be judged for joining the movement when I could not achieve these things.

But I went zero waste anyway, and I did it on my terms. It is honestly what inspired me to start my social channels! I figured I was not the only one who felt like they didn’t belong in this older zero-waste movement due to age, money, renter status, etc. I wanted to show folks that they can live zero waste and do it how it works for them! Maybe that means you use a reusable water bottle and shop at the farmers’ market even if you don’t have a refill store in your area. Maybe it means you can walk and bike, but you don’t have access to recycling. And good news…the entire sustainability movement started to shift this way in recent years.

Zero Waste in 2026

Now, I can’t speak for what the zero waste movement looks like from the outside looking in, but from the inside, it feels much different than it did 8 years ago. The low-waste movement feels so much more inclusive. I see so much less judgment now for someone who flies once or twice a year and uses plastic medication and can’t give up their car. Following the events of 2020, I think we all started to gain some class consciousness, and this heavily influenced the zero-waste sphere as well.

The movement still emphasizes individual action, but not just individual action. I feel we are much more likely in 2026 to hold Big Oil accountable for their actions vs pointing a finger at one person who physically cannot walk to work, for example.

Though I have seen a huge uptick in trolls from outside the movement in recent years. While we have stopped judging one another within the movement, people who don’t practice a single aspect of zero waste are doing the judging now, at least on the internet. I will share a little tip about energy conservation or recycling or what have you, and get judged for using a phone and wearing plastic glasses. It just lacks nuance, and it’s simply trolls being trolls, but their work is effective. People don’t want to be judged, and they won’t go zero waste if they see this judgment being hurled at others.

So, what can we leave behind from zero waste days of the past, and which habits should we carry forward in my humble opinion?

Zero Waste Ins and Outs

OUT: Trash Jars

To be honest, trash jars have been out for a WHILE but I hope they stay out. Popularized by Lauren Singer, the activist started collecting her trash in a single mason jar in 2012, and this blew up a few years later when she was still using the SAME JAR. It was all the rage in the late 2010s for environmentalists to try this.

I can’t say it was this trend alone, but this trend sure had a massive influence over the judgment thrown around and felt by others for not doing enough as an individual. More on this later. For now, let’s keep the trash jars in the past. Of course, we should reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost, but in a wasteful world, some trash is inevitable.

IN: The classic eco swaps

From the early days of zero waste, even before the rise of its popularity in the mid-2010s, the classic zero waste swaps have been around, and I think they should stay! Things like a reusable water bottle, reusable coffee cup, reusable grocery and produce bags, reusable cutlery and to-go containers, and the like can help us reduce a ton of single-use waste individually and collectively as a society. These swaps are classic and timeless. They aren’t just trends that will fade. And, best of all, they help you save a ton of money, too. Here is precisely how much it can save ;)

Let’s keep these swaps around and use our old items as long as we can! These are also great swaps to gift someone to encourage them to live low waste, too.

OUT: Individual blame only

I told you we’d be back here! The worst part of the zero-waste movement around 10 years ago was the blaming of individuals. Now, why would this even start in the first place? Big Oil greenwashing campaigns. I think they could sense that we were about to find out that they were the culprits behind climate change all along, so they got ahead of that and got us to blame one another for YEARS. From blaming ourselves and others for the climate crisis to judging one another for not riding a bike or giving up meat, their campaign was a huge success from their point of view and a huge flop for us.

So, this needs to be left behind for the future of environmentalism. Of course, our small actions matter; I truly believe that. But that doesn’t mean that I am solely responsible for the fate of the planet, and neither are you!

Instead, let’s point the fingers at the real culprits and hold them accountable!

OUT: Individual action only

In the same vein, the early zero-waste movement was very narrowly focused on individual action and individual action ONLY. Again, our small actions matter; keep doing them! But I think we got too caught up in this mentality that we forgot to take collective action, and we could’ve done more work to make polluters and businesses take action, too. After all, they control the supply. We can only buy what we have access to. People cannot go zero waste if they don’t have access to a refill store or to package-free goods.

I think this focusing on “what can I do” vs “what can we do together” slowed down the movement. So keep using your reusable water bottle, but look to your community. How can you work with your neighbors to install city-wide composting? Can you partner with a local thrift store to host a clothing swap? What about working with your library to hold a repair cafe? This way, everyone can learn new skills and get inspired to live a more eco-friendly life instead of just a handful of people becoming experts without sharing resources.

Not only was there a lack of emphasis on collective action, but there was also a lack of emphasis on corporate and governmental action. It’s easier for us to compost when it is mandated. It’s easier for us to be vegan when we have vegan options at our grocery stores and restaurants. So remember that voting with your dollar works and use your voice to advocate for change. Email wasteful companies to demand they do better, sign petitions, go to rallies, and call your elected officials about environmental issues.

IN: Learning new skills

I learned so much in my early zero-waste days: mending, how to make homemade breads, cooking from scratch, composting, and so much more. Of course, this was in an effort to reduce my personal waste and carbon footprint, which did lead to my 2021 burnout…so take a lesson from me, don’t take it too far!

But I would like to keep this around in the zero-waste movement. It’s so fun to learn something new for my brain and my hands, and hey, if it helps me reduce waste and save money, it sounds like a ton of wins all around! My best advice is to just take it slow. You don’t need to learn everything right this second. If you’re looking for help, check out Skillshare!

OUT: Hyper-focusing on one issue

When I hear “zero waste in 2018,” honestly, the main thing I think of is villainizing plastic. Don’t get me wrong, plastic isn’t great, especially single-use plastic. But that’s the very issue: all single-use is bad. And every single-use item deserves more nuance from breakability, to health, to emissions, to recyclability. This narrow-mindedness about one environmental issue hinders progress, in my opinion. And I think it prevents us from seeing the greater picture about climate change. Of course, physical pollution that comes from plastic is a huge issue we should tackle. I’m not saying we ignore plastic, but this hyper-focusing on plastic has made us lose sight of other connected issues. So, this is out, but…

IN: Intersectionality

Intersectionality is in! You can learn more in-depth about intersectionality here. But it essentially tackles that narrow-mindedness. Thinking intersectionally allows us to see how all of these environmental issues are connected to one another. Not only that, but environmentalism is intrinsically linked to social issues such as poverty, racism, wars, and more. We will start to take more action and become more well-rounded activists with intersectionality. Yes, I think you’re an activist, too! Learn more about what activism is here.

Zero Waste Moving Forward

What does the future of zero waste look like? Honestly, it’s hard to tell. I hope it becomes even more intersectional and we continue to hold the real culprits of climate change accountable. I hope we all start to take more action when it comes to politics and our communities. The more we all work to eco-fy our governments and corporations, the more sustainable choices we will have, and it will just make it easier for us all to live sustainably.

But, I have to admit, it’s been a hard year for me to worry about climate change. Of course, it’s an ever-nagging issue in my mind, but with Trump 2.0 and seeing him and his cronies dismantle the constitution and implement ICE raids, and as the genocide in Gaza worsens, it’s hard not to put these at the top of my worry and action lists.

This is why intersectionality is so important. When you realize that stopping war is good for the planet, you will fight to end wars and so on.

I see more community building moving forward. More trading, less buying, more thrifting, more farmers markets, more repairing, more library visits, and more. I think we all crave community and hobbies, and once we all realize that shopping just fills this void that we can fill with more fulfilling things, we will start to change society for good.

What do you anticipate the eco movement looks like from here on out?

Thanks so much for reading along. I appreciate you being here!

As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma