MaryJane's Farmgirl Sisterhood

Earning Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badges

Cleaning Up

11. Living Zero Waste

Please note, in order to apply for any level of this badge, you must have earned all three levels of the Living Zero Waste Merit Badge in Cleaning Up.

Beginner

  • Complete the Path to Zero Waste Merit Badge.
  • What are the 5 Rs of zero waste?
  • What are ways you can practice each of the 5 Rs?

Intermediate

  • In the Intermediate Level of the Path to Zero Waste Merit Badge, you performed a waste audit and named three significant things you learned. Enact solutions for reducing your waste in each area you identified. To work on making these solutions permanent, continue to practice these solutions for one month.
  • When shopping for material goods, make secondhand/thrift stores your first choice, wherever possible and/or feasible. Before purchasing an item, consider the longevity of the product, and if it's something you truly need. Is this item built to last or able to be repaired? Is it recyclable/compostable/biodegradable?
  • Whenever parting with material goods, consider the best ways to do so (some examples include clothing exchanges with friends, donating to a local cause or secondhand store, recycling or repurposing old kitchen containers, and so on). Get creative with it!

Expert

  • Single-use items are quite common these days, from takeaway beverage cups, to plastic bags, to menstrual products, to grocery packaging. Identify four single-use products you use in your daily life and replace them with reusable, recyclable, or compostable alternatives.
  • While the initial investment of replacing single-use items can be higher, over time, reusable alternatives can save money. Calculate the true cost of the four items you replace. For example, if you replaced buying bottled water with a water filtration pitcher or a reusable water bottle (or both), how much will you save over the lifespan of the filter or reusable bottle?
  • Recycle and compost as much as possible and/or feasible.
  • Share what you've learned with at least two friends or neighbors.

April, 2024 Edition