Humans vs. Zombies was–and still is–very popular at my Alma mater. The game involves running,
tagging, dodging, jumping, shooting Nerf guns, and throwing socks for a long weekend around campus. There’s a lot of room for accidents, but rarely did anything actually go wrong. Unless you count that one time a student accidentally shattered a window in the Student Union Building.
About a third of the student body participated in Humans vs. Zombies. I even showed up to an HvZ orientation before deciding not to play, where I officially learned the game’s #1 rule: Don’t Be a Dick.
A spectacular piece of advice. I remember one of the moderators saying as he clicked through his powerpoint presentation, “Honestly, as long as you follow that rule, all these other ones are just repetitive.”
I like to think this “don’t be a dick” philosophy extends to modern life in general, especially when it comes to my new zero waste lifestyle. Two facts about me:
- I rarely get any joy out of being a dick to people (you have to really make me angry first. Like Hulk Helen angry.)
- I love helping people. I’m not being sarcastic. Not even Dave-Barry-I-promise-I’m-not-making-this-up sarcastic. Helping people is a true adrenaline rush for me.
Unfortunately, “helping” people can sometimes come off as being a dick if you go about it the wrong way.
…I am having a hard time not being a dick about zero waste.
But then my little mind started working in overdrive. Imagine that styrofoam buried forever in a landfill or little bits of it floating in our oceans. What if he hasn’t thought about not buying a hotdog without the styrofoam? What if he’d appreciate the tip? What if in the future, he’d remember this conversation fondly and actually change his behavior, never opting for styrofoam ever again?!
Before I could stop myself, it came out like word vomit…
“You know, if you’re going to eat the hotdog immediately, you could forego the box altogether.”[internal cringe]
My coworker frowned and replied, “You can’t get a bun without the box.”
Not only was he right (which is ridiculous, Phillips 66. It’s time to shape up your hotdog bun distribution policies), but I could tell that guilt tripping him for his lunch choice had won me several Being a Dick points for St. Peter’s scale. I only accomplished making a friend feel bad.
Lecturing Usually Does More Harm Than Good
I know; I’ve been on the receiving end of nagging do-gooders before. I knew a vegan who could not have a conversation longer than twenty-five minutes without telling you to give up animal products. His nagging always came out of nowhere and as a result his advice always came across judgmental. Not once during our acquaintance did I consider changing my ways.
Fast forward to today:
- I only eat meat (delicious) and dairy (cheese) on occasion, maybe once or twice a week.
- Vegetables, grains, legumes, fruit, nuts, and seeds make up the majority of my diet.
- I only buy leather second hand because well-made and well-maintained leather products last forever.
True, I’m far from being a vegan or even a vegetarian, but compared to my past burger slingin’ self and the rest of omnivorous Americans, it’s a big step in the right direction. What sparked this change in behavior? I befriended several vegetarians and vegans who led by example instead of lecturing me about my life choices.
Lead by Example
“Be the change you want to see in the world” may sound like a sappy cliche, but it’s the best way to inspire people. Free will (if you believe in that sort of thing) is powerful, and when a person makes a choice on their own, it’s more likely to stick than if they do it out of guilt.
Of course, there are sneaky ways to give yourself the opportunity to lead by example:
- Invite your friends grocery shopping and buy from the bulk bins.
- Go on a picnic and bring only reusable containers, silverware, and napkins. When everyone’s done eating, offer to take their food scraps for your compost.
- Meal plan for your weekday lunches and display your gorgeous mason jar collection in the employee fridge on Mondays.
- Offer cookies to your guests, then whip out your container of pre-made zero waste cookie dough and roll & bake the cookies right in front of them.
- Vent/#humblebrag to your friends about how much time you spend cooking from scratch these days.
- Flourish your clean handkerchief before blowing your nose. Or better yet, sneak in an “I’m better than you” between coughs.
In all seriousness, though, most humans are social creatures and pick up on the habits of others. Simply having a reusable bag at the checkout may affect the strangers standing in line behind you. Asking for no straw at a restaurant may peak the interest of your waiter (if it doesn’t just straight up annoy them). Basically, if you live your life in an environmentally conscious way, you affect everyone you come into contact with, whether you realize it or not.
Get Involved in the Community
It’s so easy to feel small when you’re passionate and it feels like no one around you cares. As a result, you may be more of a dick than usual in an effort to make more people like you. Here’s some good news: There are other people out there like you, you just have to look for them.
- Follow people on social media. There are zero waste communities on every social media platform, from YouTube to Twitter. They’re a great jumping off point for lifestyle hacks, in-depth articles and books, and zero waste events.
- Read zero waste blogs. If you’re a blogger like me, you can even join the Zero Waste Bloggers Network
- Keep tabs on public spaces like libraries, book stores, and cafes for any potential zero waste events. Join their email lists, talk to the employees, and read their bulletin boards.
- Just Google “zero waste.” Really, it works.
Knowing it’s not you against the world can help you feel less inclined to bother those around you about how they could be a better human being if they just put in a little effort.
Go to the Source
Regardless of what the law says, corporations are not people. If you’re upset about a wasteful practice, attack the institutions. Not the guy buying a gas station hotdog. Wasteful habits are entrenched in our society and the person you’re most likely to come face-to-face with in everyday life is probably not the person who can or will enact real change to that society. Talk to the company business owner or board of directors or government officials by:
- Starting a petition
- Writing a letter/email
- Using social media
Yes, it’s much harder than chewing out your friends or the clerk behind the counter. But as that one guy on Mt. Rushmore once said, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard and work worth doing.” So suck it up.
(Disclaimer: I’m really saying all this tough love stuff to myself. I have yet to work up the courage to actually go to the source when I’m upset by a wasteful practice. If I ever do accomplish this task, you guys will be the first to hear about it.)
However, there are more private ways to voice your opinions on these subjects…
Vote in State & Local Elections
With all the hype about presidential elections and distrust of the electoral college, it’s easy to forget that state and local elections have the most influence on our day-to-day lives. National politics handles the big umbrella issues like foreign policy and federal taxes. State and local politics handles the “little” things like roads, recycling policies, sanitation, education, and more.
Pro tip: Inform yourself on all the local propositions and “minor” political positions on the ballot before showing up at your designated polling place. Propositions are intentionally written to be confusing and it can be difficult to get any politician to answer a question directly. Ask yourself, “Will any of them affect your community’s green or environmental initiatives?” and vote accordingly.
And if that doesn’t work…