The Zero Waste Challenge: Can You Fit a Year of Trash in a Jar?

Could you fit all your garbage from an entire year into a single mason jar? It sounds extreme, but it’s a real zero waste challenge that some eco-warriors dare to take on. The idea gained fame when Bea Johnson and her family fit a year’s worth of trash in one jar – inspiring people worldwide to rethink their waste.

Even if you don’t hit the one-jar goal, aiming for it can hugely reduce the trash you send to landfill. How to try it? Practice the 5 R’s: Refuse freebies & excess packaging, Reduce what you buy, Reuse everything possible, Recycle what you can’t reuse, and Rot (compost) food scraps. That means saying no to unnecessary straws, choosing bulk goods with your own containers, repairing items, and turning kitchen scraps into garden gold.

It’s not about being perfect – it’s about challenging yourself. Try the jar challenge for a week or a month to start. Make it a friendly competition with friends or family to see who produces the least trash. You’ll be amazed how much you can cut out. And if a single jar for the year is out of reach, no worries. Every bit less in your garbage bin is a win for you and the planet. Ready to give it a shot? Your journey to zero waste might just begin with one mason jar.

For more tips and motivation, see “Small Changes, Big Impact: A Gen Z Guide to Zero Waste Living.”