In her blog post about a recent program at Davenport Public Library called “Going Zero Waste”, Josie Mumm describes how initially surprised she was that the library, of all places, would host a program that focused on zero-waste living. Upon reflection, however, it is evident that libraries are perfectly positioned not only to discuss matters of zero waste living, but to be leaders in developing innovative programs and services in general because libraries are community sources for the public good at their core.

As one may conclude, Mumm explains that libraries themselves are already beacons for zero-waste lifestyles in that they are essentially sharing economies that value providing centralized access to information, services, and community resources without the push to incur expense.  Rather than buying new print or digital books, audiobooks, magazines, music,  technologies, or community experiences, libraries provide free, unfettered access to these things so that you may try them out before committing to the cost and space allocation that these purchases would require.

In short, libraries embody and advocate zero-waste lifestyles and minimalism at their core.

On Saturday, October 20th, Courtney Walters, local educator, led a program at the Main St. location called “Zero Waste For Beginners” that offered practical tips for getting started on a zero-waste lifestyle.  In a brief promotional video, Courtney discussed her program and described some basic tenants of zero-waste living. Perhaps one of the most important takeaways is that although it may be virtually impossible not to create any waste, we can start small, reduce our carbon footprints, simplify our lives, and ultimately free up time so that we can focus more on what matters and less on the frivolity of managing our consumer goods and possessions. Perfect is the enemy of good, in this case.  For example, if you are a daily coffee drinker and find yourself purchasing specialty coffee drinks, you can bring a re-usable mug to your favorite coffee shop for a discount that quickly adds up, not to mention you will reduce your waste substantially. After you establish that new habit, you might then branch out into other avenues of reducing your waste output by bringing your own produce bag to the grocery store or buying in bulk as much as possible.

Check out the full Marked As Done blog-post to read an interview with Courtney Walters and learn more about zero-waste living and other ways to reduce your own consumption!

Editor’s Note: Intrigued? Then don’t miss “That’s a Wrap: Eco-Friendly Wrapping” at Fairmount on Tuesday, November 27 beginning at 5:30pm. Erin will show you how to create beautiful gift wrap using cloth, a great way to cut holiday waste. Check the Library Events calendar for more information.