6: Produce No Waste

Produce No Waste

“By valuing and making use of all the resources that are available to us, nothing goes to waste.”

🗑️ About the Principle

Think of a “closed-loop” system as similar to a dome on Mars or the Moon. Inside the dome, everything must stay within the system, meaning waste can’t just be discarded—it has to serve a purpose. If waste isn’t transformed into something useful, the dome would soon overflow with things we don’t want or need.

This principle challenges us to rethink waste as something valuable. For example, manure, though it’s excrement, is a remarkable fertilizer that nourishes gardens. It’s not considered waste because it contributes to the growth of something else. Similarly, William McDonough’s Cradle to Cradle approach to manufacturing suggests that waste isn’t inherently bad—it can be repurposed as a raw material for something new.

At its core, this principle asks us to reconsider the concept of waste entirely. It suggests we see all that we create, produce, or discard as having the potential for utility. In our own lives, it invites us to examine where we might be wasting time, energy, or resources, and to reimagine those “wastes” as opportunities or places for us to find .

🌱 No Waste in Your Life

• Where do I feel like I’m wasting time, energy, or money? How might I reframe that? For example:

  • Staring out the window might initially feel like wasted time, but it could be seen as a moment for imagination or reflection, perhaps inviting us towards more creative expression.

  • Overexertion might feel like wasted energy but could teach us about our limits and resilience.

  • Unplanned expenses might seem wasteful but could represent opportunities for money to flow into new areas or benefit others.

• What is truly wasteful, and what is something I might not like (such as weeds) but that serves a purpose in the broader system?

• What piles up in my life—clutter, unread emails, unfinished projects? What do I lose or forget to care for? What could be maintained or repurposed with more attention?

• What would it look like to focus on maintaining and valuing the things I already possess, whether physical objects, relationships, or personal skills?

🌐 No Waste in Your Community

• What happens to “wasted” or underused spaces in our community? Could vacant lots become community gardens, urban forests, or gathering places? Could abandoned buildings be renovated for housing or creative use?

• How can communities better share resources that might otherwise go to waste? For example:

  • Establish food rescue programs to redistribute surplus food.

  • Creating repair cafes to extend the life of items that might otherwise be discarded.

  • Using Buy Nothing Groups or Freecycle or creating swap events to share materials with one another instead of throwing them away.

🌿 Examples in the Natural World

• Decomposition - Dead leaves and fallen trees enrich the soil and support growth and nutrients for existing growth.

• Animal Droppings - Waste from animals is a natural fertilizer for plants, providinng food for insects and offering up nutrients for the soil

• Seed Hulls - Some seeds are dispersed by hulls or shells which can protect and support these seeds making it more likely that they’ll grow.

🌀Integrating this Principle

• How might we reimagine the waste in our life? When waiting for an appointment, or being on hold with someone to talk to, or sitting in line for an event, what might that time offer us?

📖 Resources for Further Exploration

• PermaculturePrinciples.com - Principle 6

• Cradle to Cradle Manufacturing from William McDonough

Written by Beth M. Duckles. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Contact me.