If you're not for Zero Waste, how much waste are you for?

Gary Liss has to be one of the most animate speakers we have had this semester. Like a salesman who thinks he's sold his most expensive product, he finished the class with the biggest grin I think he could possibly muster.

That doesn't say much for his taste in clothing, though.

When I first saw Mr. Liss my eyes fell on his dirty shoes. If you're going to wear a suit, at least wear decent dress shoes. I know it sounds miniscule and unimportant, but I was raised that first impressions can't be taken back, and Gary didn't start off well in the appearance department. His suit also just didn't fit him well. His pants were saggy and he kept pulling them back up to his waist. At least tighten your belt a notch. And he smelled like his jacket and trousers had been in a dry cleaner bag for a year. When he pulled out a comb in the middle of class it occurred to me he could just do for a haircut instead.

Again, I know, miniscule and unimportant, but I remember his wardrobe vividly, and it detracted from his speech a bit.

All that said, his topic of Zero Waste was inspiring. This weekend I went down to the coast for my field project, to Mt. Tamalpais, and drove by a sea of those green waste garbage containers. It must have been trash day, or maybe tomorrow. These were the green, blue, and black containers. Very picturesque, although I would imagine few visitors to the city would know exactly what they were for or what their purpose was other than to dispose of garbage.

Zero Waste should be how we do business. Native Americans survived for thousands of years doing it just fine, who are we to continue to screw it up when we know we can clean it up instead? Mind you I'm no economist, or accountant, but it seems pretty clear to me that companies could start going Zero Waste today and not need to look back. And not just companies, but communities, too. Even though I live with three of the laziest roomates imaginable, and probably the most wasteful to boot, if our entire neighborhood got in the mood I'm sure they wouldn't want to be the only wasteful ones.

Great speech Gary, but next time, clean up the suit ;)