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Zero Waste: Interview with Claire Sancelot

The stats are pretty scary: in 2009, a survey done by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) revealed Hong Kong to be the most wasteful city in the world, and even the government admits that at our current rate, Hong Kong landfills will be exhausted by 2020. Is it time to take some extreme measures? Wynna Wong talks to Claire Sancelot about her and her family’s attempt to lead a zero waste lifestyle, and what we can do to keep from drowning in our own trash.

Tell me a bit about you and your family. Claire Sancelot: I was born and raised in France and studied Economics in the States. I spent some time in New York before relocating to Hong Kong 8 years ago. Currently, there are three adults and three young children in my family—my husband and I, a helper, my toddler daughter and my twins. Oh, and I also have a dog!

So, what’s a “zero waste lifestyle”? CS: A zero waste lifestyle is pretty much what the name implies: our ultimate aim is to be able to lead a sustainable, zero waste way of life, and we go into this in all aspects—from the food and clothes we buy to cooking and cleaning, we do it so we are putting as little into our trash can as possible.

Can you explain in a nutshell how you cut down your trash? CS: I like to use the “5 Rs” as a rule of thumb: reuse, refuse, repair, recycle and rot. We try to use things that can be washed and used again—and that includes cutlery and my children’s diapers. The clothes we buy are almost all second-hand. We refuse things we don’t actually need, which means we don’t accept junk mail or random freebies in the streets. All my friends know my policy so they gift accordingly. If we really do need to throw stuff out, we try our best to make sure our waste can be rotted or is recyclable. Thinking ahead is very important. In fact, constructing a good system for your home is one of the most important things about leading a zero waste lifestyle—and in the long run, it helps you save a lot of money too.

Speaking of diapers, how do you handle your ‘bodily waste’? CS: We try not to flush after just a “number one” but of course we do after a “number two”! We do use toilet paper—but a specific brand that is made in Hong Kong and 100% made out of recycled paper. Sadly, they’re individually wrapped.

Without a compost heap, how do you achieve ‘rot’? CS: We use a system called the “bokashi” at home. It is essentially a bin where you put in all your “rottable” trash, sprinkle some bran on top to speed up the fermenting process, then seal the lid. The bin drains out all the liquid. The end result is one of the best fertilizers you can get—I use some of it in my pot plants at home, and the rest I send to local farmers who are more than happy to get free fertilizer!

What convinced you to start? CS: The real wake-up call came when I began having children—the waste we were producing on a weekly basis was astounding, and I also began thinking about the future. What kind of world would my kids be growing up in? In my promotion for a zero waste lifestyle, I put most of my effort into the education of youths in our society; I do a lot of talks at universities and high schools, because I believe these are the people who can make a real change, and these are also the people who will have to live with the consequences if we don’t do anything about it now.

What has been the hardest thing? CS: I don’t see this transition as a difficulty; it’s more like fun challenge to me! You open your creativity in different aspects, and you discover a lot about the city that you would have ignored otherwise. You’re also leading a healthier lifestyle, and because you have everything planned out, you ultimately save a lot more time and money. I’m much happier nowadays, because I’m in a state where I don’t need all these products to be happy. Once you strip your life of all this materialism, you enter a very peaceful state of mind.

It there anything you miss? CS: Diet Coke—I’m totally addicted. Sometimes I cheat and go to fast food stores to fill up my tumbler with it. But it’s actually quite bad for you!

What tips do you have for us? CS: Start one place at a time, one product at a time to ease yourself in. For example, look into the bathroom: perhaps start off with changing the way you remove your makeup. Instead of using products in a plastic bottle, which you will eventually throw away, use organic soap made in Hong Kong. Once you’re done, the bottle is returnable, too. You’re helping locals, saving the environment and the price is cheaper. Three birds with one stone.

 

For more info and tips from Claire, visit her at Facebook page or read her blog: zerowastehongkong.com.

A version of this interview first appeared in the 6 December, 2013 issue of HK Magazine.

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