Member-only story
Husbands are the Problem with Zero Waste
The Gender Divide at Home is Killing the Planet
I’m a member of a Facebook group for folks who are trying to go “zero waste.” In case you’re not familiar with the movement, zero waste is an attempt to remove all “trash” from your life by living more sustainably, avoiding plastic, and reducing waste.
Zero Waste got its start with Bea Johnson, who went viral because she managed to get her family’s trash down to a single jar in one year. Johnson’s movement uses four tenants:
- Refuse: Refuse what you don’t need.
- Reduce: Reduce use of unecessary items.
- Reuse: Reuse what you can.
- Recycle: Recycle what you must.
- Rot: Leave the rest to rot (compost!)
The movement has quickly gained popularity with women, and in particular, housewives or women who have control over family spending. Despite it being 2021, women are still the primary decision-makers when it comes to home goods in 62% of households (Gallup).
What’s fascinated me since I’ve joined the Facebook group is the sheer number of women getting on the group to complain about their husbands, who overwhelmingly don’t give a s*** about the environment.
Women post regularly asking for advice that boils down to “How do I get my husband to care?” There have even been a couple of posts that made me take a step back and wonder if the wife was in a weird abusive situation because her husband refused to let her do something as simple as wear her own clothing (he insisted she looked “trashy”).
My husband and I have a long-standing debate if you recycle plastic bottles with or without the cap on. We’ve both found reliable sources defending our stance. Does anyone have the answer?
