Our Marsden team (Reduce, Reuse, Repair) published a new report about how to move up the waste hierarchy. It was authored by Gradon Diprose (Bioeconomy Science Institute) and Dorte Wray (Zero Waste Aotearoa).
Guest post by Dr Gradon Diprose, Bioeconomy Science Institute.
Why we wrote this report
We know there are huge problems with waste. For example, New Zealand produces a lot of waste compared to other OECD countries, and our central and local government’s focus is on managing waste, not preventing it. While the waste hierarchy has been around for years it is still not reflected in many government’s operational policies or actual investment. This is partly because the waste hierarchy conflicts with many countries GDP growth-oriented economic goals, and the vested interests of powerful industries. The key question for us is how to encourage social and political shifts towards waste prevention given these challenges.
For this report, we researched what collective practices help communities and businesses to prevent waste and build the wider social and political support for waste prevention more broadly. We interviewed people from businesses, local government, and non-governmental organisations and civil society groups who work on waste prevention and supplemented this with a literature review. We asked participants what had practically helped them, their businesses, and wider communities shift from waste management to waste prevention. We also asked participants how they did this. For example, what kinds of language they use, and what they invest in and prioritise.
What is in the report (and isn’t)
The report identifies four interconnected collective practices that help build the social and political pressure to make waste prevention a priority.
The report is not about how to manage waste through individual behaviour change. For example, how to recycle better, how to address problem waste streams, or the best waste disposal options.
What we learned through our research
Our participants and the research literature highlight that governments need to set new rules like mandatory product stewardship, extended producer responsibility and right to repair to shift economic systems towards waste prevention. The four interconnected collective practices that help build the social and political pressure for this new legislation are:
- Supporting collectives and networks
- Investing in place-based initiatives
- Using data to demonstrate impact
- Using language strategically to frame change
Who is this report for?
We wrote this report for those people and organisations already taking action on waste prevention, and for those who are concerned and want to take action. We also wrote it for funders, public servants and elected officials who might want to support waste prevention and wider systems change but don’t know where to start. The report helps to show what is already in motion and what is working.
What’s next?
We will be running cooperative inquiry groups (a kind of action research approach using focus groups) with New Zealanders who are interested in waste prevention. These groups will explore people’s everyday practical actions and deeper meanings and emotions associated with waste prevention. Shifting towards waste prevention will require significant and deep social changes. These cooperative enquiry groups will explore some of these shifts. Such as how people come to desire consuming less (reduce), how the negotiate their relationships with others in the process.
You can read and download the full report below:
