Take Steps Toward Zero Waste
Suggested practices and examples for implementation:
- Organize your congregation to help your community reduce plastic and styrofoam by banning plastic bags and styrofoam food containers at the town and/or county levels.
- Organize your community.
- Reach out to local businesses/organizations with support to help reduce waste.
- Consider bulk purchasing and being a distribution center for needed community goods (learn more via Cooperate WNC).
- Emphasize compostable and/or reusable products on your congregational campus before turning to recyclable options.
- Compost at all meals and events (see the above section on composting).
- Collect compost from congregants’ homes. Donate to a local farm (or use it in your own gardening endeavors).
- Volunteer to help document microplastic contamination in our waterways.
- Contact Anna Alsobrook and Callie Moore for more information at anna@creationcarealliance.org and callie@creationcarealliance.org.
- Make river/roadside clean-ups a habitual part of your creation care ministry.
General information related to this strategy:
- Zero Waste Church’s “20 Steps to Becoming a Zero Waste Church” article
- Waste Audits
- 5-minute video of one congregation’s journey to zero-waste
- NC Composting Council
- Films:
Available resources in Western North Carolina:
- Plastic Free WNC
- Contact anna@creationcarealliance.org for more information.
- MountainTrue -Clean Waters Program
- Asheville GreenWorks
- Cooperate WNC
- Danny’s Dumpster
- Toward Zero Waste Asheville
- Zero Waste grocery shopping locations, North Carolina
- Compost Now
Local faith communities currently utilizing this strategy:
- The Church of the Nativity, Raleigh NC
- Jubilee Community, Asheville, NC
- Contact Chas Jansen: chas.jansen@mtsu.edu
- First Presbyterian Church, Asheville, NC
- Contact Jane Laping: janelaping@sbcglobal.net