The Zero Waste Movement: Privilege and Diversity

Let’s face it, when people are asked to describe what a typical “zero waste practitioner” looks like, they might come up with a stereotype that’s pretty common: a pretty and thin Caucasian upper class or upper-middle class college-educated female who is most likely single/vegan/a yoga practitioner/a millennial living in a tiny 200 SF apartment in a large cosmopolitan city like New York or Chicago. When you see the people currently leading the zero waste movement, the majority of them tend to fit one or more of the aforementioned descriptions. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the glaring lack of diversity in this movement is striking to me. Although I love that this well-intentioned movement is catching on like wildfire, it’s not catching on in the communities that could benefit from it the most.

As I pore through perfectly curated photos of vegan dishes, eco-friendly recipes, people camping and climbing mountains on Instagram, I can’t help but wonder: where are all the black/brown people?? Why have no minority men or women popped up on my feed under the hashtags #zerowaste, #ecofriendly, #sustainableliving, etc.?  Even people like me (women of color who grew up in an upper middle class home and suburb) are not showing much interest zero waste scene as their white counterparts. Why is that? (P.S. I’m speaking purely from an American perspective and the seeming lack of diversity in American sustainability communities; I can’t speak for other countries).

Not to call out or bash those Caucasian counterparts at all, but there are numerous factors that make the healthy, sustainable living and zero waste movement seem like it’s a luxury only few can afford and have the time for. Honesty, a big factor that initially drove me toward the zero waste movement was my sense of guilt: I’m privileged and can afford to do almost anything I want to do, so why not use that privilege for the betterment of society rather than for purely self-fulfillment?

Privilege is another aspect that gives the zero waste movement a bad rep. A lot of people see this movement as a modern day version of the hippie movement (i.e. nouveau white tree huggers but much more refined and stylish). I think when a movement is adopted by a specific community, it tends to stay within that community and is not touted or promoted as much outside of it. We tend to rally around those who are like-minded and share our interests, rather than take the time or effort to reach out to skeptics and naysayers.

Another obvious aspect is the huge disparity in availability of healthy, organic food and eco-friendly products in low income neighborhoods versus middle class and upper middle class neighborhoods. The discrepancies are obvious when you live in a city like Houston, where neighborhoods tend to carry distinct characteristics. We have affluent suburbs like Sugar Land, Katy, and even up-and-coming pockets of wealth near Downtown where there is an abundance of organic grocery store options, yoga studios, novelty coffee shops, and high end restaurants. But just like wealthy neighborhoods, lower income neighborhoods (where the majority of residents are POC (people of color)) have their own patterns with food availability options: abundance of fast food joints, convenience stores, gas stations, etc. There are even grocery chains (like Fiesta) geared towards these lower income neighborhoods which you won’t find out in the suburbs. Why isn’t Whole Foods or Central Market coming to these neighborhoods? And why do you have to be affluent to afford healthy food and maintain a sustainable lifestyle? The answers to these questions involve multiple factors that boil down to family and individual-levels, such as education/job status, income, number of children, etc. which could be hashed out any number of ways. We can also blame a number of entities for this disparity, be it corporations or local governments, etc. To put it bluntly, rich people are the ones who can afford to do something about climate change and pollution, but poor people are the ones who are the first to experience its negative effects (like food supply/water contamination, property damage from inclement weather events, etc.). 

I also don’t want to ignore a group that hasn’t been addressed but nonetheless carries a great amount of power and influence: people like me, as in people of color who grew up middle class/upper middle class and have continued to carry that status to adulthood. Why aren’t affluent POC millennials adopting the zero waste culture in droves, or simply having more conversations about things like climate change, pollution, etc.? Is it because of our immigrant parents and the kinds of values we were taught to prioritize while growing up? Is it because we weren’t raised by parents who were exposed to the hippie counterculture movement like our Caucasian counterparts were? Is it simply because we have a healthier dose of skepticism and mistrust? I’m not asking these questions to create controversy or divisiveness between groups of people, I genuinely want to know.  

Topics like these are uncomfortable to discuss, but they need to be discussed. In theory, the Zero Waste Movement is for everyone and can be adopted by anyone and everyone, but reality is playing out differently than theory. But in this reality I’m starting to find my voice and my purpose. I don’t just want to adopt a zero waste lifestyle and share DIY recipes and product reviews. Although it is noble to live your values and be an example to others around you, it is also just as rewarding to reach out to communities that aren’t exposed to this idea and use the privilege you have to fight for more equitable distribution of knowledge and resources through things like activism, outreach, and social media. I want to expand the Zero Waste movement circle into unlikely places by encouraging POC to get more involved in what is happening to our planet. And isn’t that the whole point, to make our world a more equitable and just place?

Do you think there is a lack of diversity in the zero waste and sustainable living community? I'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, ideas, criticism...anything!