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Austin, USA - The Texas city is banning restaurants, grocers, bars, and catering companies from throwing out food as part of the Universal Recycling Ordinance. They started in October 2018 and plan to be zero-waste by 2040.

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New York City, USA - The Big Apple set a goal in 2015 to achieve zero-waste by 2030. They implemented an expanded organic waste curbside collection program, which serves more than three million residents and is the largest of its kind in the country.

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Bute, Scotland - In 2015, the Isle of Bute became the second town in Scotland’s Zero Waste Towns initiative, which is based on educating and empowering people to reduce waste—even unsold loaves of bread are recycled into craft beer!

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Kamikatsu, Japan - Residents of Kamikatsu, Japan's first municipality to commit to zero-waste, sort their trash into 45 categories, successfully recycling, composting, and reusing 80% of all waste!

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Vancouver, Canada - The west coast city voted to adopt a zero-waste approach in 2006, and in 2018, Zero Waste 2040 was approved. Strategies include reducing single-use items, composting, and prioritizing the prevention of unnecessary waste.

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Taiwan - With pressure from citizens, the government implemented a zero-waste policy in 2003, setting a goal to reduce waste 75% by 2020. Banning disposable utensils from restaurants alone cut out 44 million pairs of disposable chopsticks in 2014.

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Dubai, UAE - In August 2018, Dubai signed C40's "Advancing Towards Zero Waste Declaration," aiming to reduce 15% of each resident’s waste by 2030. They became one of just two Middle Eastern municipalities to commit.

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Flanders, Belgium - This Flemish region approved their first Waste Decree in the 1980s. They were able to shift focus from disposal to prevention, and now nearly 75% of residential waste (the highest percentage in Europe) is diverted from landfills.

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Gipuzkoa, Spain - This Basque Country province prioritizes prevention, source separation, reuse, and recycling. In 2011, their goal was to achieve 70% diversion from landfills by 2020, and in less than five years they reached 50%!

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Capannori, Italy - To prevent the construction of an incinerator in this Tuscan town, a teacher and a zero-waste expert launched a door-to-door collection program and, in 2007, convinced Capannori to become the first in Europe to declare a zero-waste goal for 2020.

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Hout Bay, South Africa - When FIFA announced South Africa as host of the 2010 World Cup, a small community in Cape Town banded together to go zero-waste. They launched a household waste drop-off program that inspired others across the city.

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Sweden - Sweden burned through their own trash and started importing waste to feed their incinerators, which they (somewhat controversially) convert to energy. They're nearly zero-waste, as less than one percent of household waste ends up in landfills.

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Guam - Community organizations, government agencies, and schools helped create Guam's Blueprint for Zero Waste in 2012, but instead of a defined end date, they focused on a 20-year, four-phase plan.

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Cashel, Ireland - This County Tipperary town became Ireland's first Toward Zero Waste Community in 2017. They emphasize waste prevention, education, composting, and community collaboration.

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Buenos Aires, Argentina - The capital city's zero-waste laws were announced in 2005, and though they face obstacles from private waste management companies, they continue to advocate for zero-waste strategies.

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San Francisco, USA - In 2002, San Francisco became the first large American city to commit to zero-waste, and in 2009 it became the first city to join the Universal Recycling Ordinance. Although its 2020 zero-waste goal seems unlikely, the city has implemented significant waste-free public policies.

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Ljubljana, Slovenia - Ljubljana became Europe's first capital city to commit to zero-waste in 2014, and they are on track to hit their goal of halving their residual waste by 2025.

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Santa Monica, USA - After surveying the needs and concerns of the community, this southern California city began their Zero Waste Strategic Operations Plan in 2014, with the goal of 95% diversion from landfills by 2030.

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Pune, India - Pune launched a zero-waste program in 2012, after the first waste pickers' union in India pushed for safer working conditions and simultaneously drew attention to the challenge of waste management.

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Međimurje, Croatia - Međimurje joined the Zero Waste Europe network in 2015, committing to landfill reduction, no more incineration, and 70% waste recovery by 2020.

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Sardinia, Italy - Proving that tourist hot spots can still go zero-waste, this island uses methods like door-to-door collection, a pay-as-you-throw system, as well as incentives and penalties for municipalities depending on their waste reduction.

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San Diego, USA - In 2015, this California city announced its goal to divert 75% of waste being sent to landfills by 2020, 90% by 2035, and 100% by 2040. Educational events and consultations support residents and local businesses.

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Wales - Their 2010 "Toward Zero Waste" declaration set the goal of reaching 70% recycling of waste by 2025, and zero waste by 2050. In 2017, the recycling rate reached 63.8% for municipal solid waste.

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Targu Lapus, Romania - In 2014, Targu Lapus became the first city in Romania to trade incinerator plans for a zero-waste commitment. Their goal is to reach 8% diversion from landfills by 2020, with a focus on composting and recycling.

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Alaminos, Philippines - In 2009, the city council passed the first zero-waste ordinance in the Philippines. In a place where open dumping and burning of waste was once normal, composting and waste separation have become more common.

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Auckland, New Zealand - This Kiwi city set a 2040 zero-waste goal, and collaboratively joining with 22 other cities and regions around the world who have committed to C40's Zero Waste Declaration.

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France - France is combining goodwill and environmental action with a law that bans grocery stores from throwing away edible food, even implementing a weighty fine for anyone who doesn't give the food to charities.

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What can you do? - Even the way you purchase clothes can hurt or help the environment. Luckily, there are some easy ways to buy more sustainably.

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Get creative - Think out of the box (or out of the bin) and explore cool ways to decorate your house with waste materials.

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