Zero Waste Home

Type: Instagram

Subject: Bea Johnson

Year: 2008

Language: English

Bea Johnson is a French-American writer and activist considered the pioneer of the Zero Waste movement. Born in Besançon, France, she moved to the United States in the 1990s. In 2008, she and her family decided to make a radical lifestyle change by choosing a minimalist and sustainable approach.

This choice allowed her to produce less than half a liter of waste per year. It has also reduced household expenses by 40 percent. In 2009 she founded the blog Zero Waste Home and in 2013 published the book of the same name, now translated into 28 languages. The book has become a global reference for those who want to reduce waste and live more consciously.

His method is based on the 5Rs:

• Refuse: reject what is not necessary;
• Reduce: reduce the superfluous;
• Reuse: reusing what we already own;
• Recycle: recycling what cannot be avoided;
• Rot: composting organic waste.

Through these principles Bea Johnson has inspired millions of people, companies and institutions in more than 70 countries. She participates in international conferences, TED Talks and works with entities such as the UN and the European Parliament.

Its message goes beyond the environment. Reducing waste means living simpler, healthier and cheaper. It also means being consistent with one’s values and building a fuller life.

Today Bea Johnson is also active on Instagram with the profile @zerowastehome. Her account offers practical tips for adopting a zero-waste lifestyle. She shows concrete examples of her minimalist home and recounts her family’s day-to-day life engaged in this journey.