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Could You Go Trash-Free?

More than 140 million tons of trash ends up in U.S. landfills each year. We asked three teens to do everything they could to reduce their waste. Here’s what they learned.  

April 2026
by Anna Starecheski

    The average person in the United States throws out about 5 pounds of trash every day. 

    That might not sound like much. But multiply that by everyone in your family. Then multiply it by everyone in your school or in your town. Suddenly, all that trash adds up. 

    Why is that a problem? A lot of garbage goes to landfills—big open piles of waste. This waste releases harmful chemicals into the air and water. Trash can also blow away, ending up in forests, rivers, and oceans. This hurts the plants and animals that live there. (Plastic is an especially big problem. It can take hundreds of years to decompose.) 

    So what can we do? Some people are already trying to produce less garbage. They call it the zero-waste movement. But it’s not actually about creating zero waste, says Anne-Marie Bonneau. She’s a writer and cookbook author who has been finding ways to reduce her waste since 2011. “If you try to go zero waste right away, you’ll get overwhelmed,” she says. “Your habit won’t last.”

    Small changes can add up though—just like all that trash. So we asked three teens to track how much stuff they tossed in a day. Then they used that info to come up with a goal to create less waste. Here’s what happened when they put their plans into action.

    Five pounds. That’s how much trash the average person in the United States throws out every day.

    Multiply that by everyone in your family. Multiply it by everyone in your school or your town. That’s a lot of trash!

    And it’s a problem. Why? A lot of garbage goes to landfills. A landfill is a big open pile of waste. The waste releases harmful chemicals. They go into the air and water. Trash can also blow away. It can blow into forests, rivers, and oceans. This hurts plants and animals. (Plastic is a big problem. It can take hundreds of years to decompose.)

    What can we do? Some people are trying to create less trash. They call it the zero-waste movement. But it’s not really about creating zero waste, says Anne-Marie Bonneau. She’s a writer.  She has been reducing her waste since 2011. “If you try to go zero waste right away, you’ll get overwhelmed,” she says. “Your habit won’t last.”

    But small changes can add up. (Just like trash.) We asked three teens to track their daily trash. Then they set a goal to create less waste. Here’s what happened.

    The average person in the United States throws out about 5 pounds of trash every day. 

    That might not sound like much, but multiply it by everyone in your family. Then multiply it by everyone in your school or in your town. Suddenly, all that trash adds up.

    Why is that a problem? A lot of garbage goes to landfills—big open piles of waste. This waste releases harmful chemicals into the air and water. Trash can also blow away and land in forests, rivers, and oceans, which hurts the plants and animals that live there. (Plastic is an especially big problem, as it can take hundreds of years to decompose.)

    So what can we do? Some people are already trying to produce less garbage. They call it the zero-waste movement. But it’s not actually about creating zero waste, says Anne-Marie Bonneau, a writer and cookbook author who has been finding ways to reduce her waste since 2011. “If you try to go zero waste right away, you’ll get overwhelmed,” she explains. “Your habit won’t last.”

    Small changes can add up though—just like all that trash. So we asked three teens to track how much stuff they tossed in a day and then use that info to come up with a goal to create less waste. Here’s what happened when they put their plans into action.

The amount of garbage produced in the U.S. has tripled since 1960.

The amount of garbage produced in the U.S. has tripled since 1960.

The amount of garbage produced in the U.S. has tripled since 1960.

From Trash to Treasure

Teen photos courtesy of families

“I saved trash to use in my scrapbook.” 
—Harper, 13, Pennsylvania

    Harper is a 13-year-old from Pennsylvania. After tracking her trash, she learned that she tossed a lot of wrappers from snacks and candy. Then came her idea: Could she turn that trash into treasure?

    “I have wanted to pick up scrapbooking as a hobby,” she says. “So I decided to save as many pieces of trash as I could for my scrapbook.”

    Harper, 13, is from Pennsylvania. She saw that she tossed a lot of wrappers from snacks and candy. She got an idea. Could she turn that trash into treasure?

    “I have wanted to pick up scrapbooking as a hobby,” she says. “So I decided to save as many pieces of trash as I could for my scrapbook.”

    After tracking her trash, Harper, a 13-year-old from Pennsylvania, learned that she tossed a lot of wrappers from snacks and candy. She wondered if she could turn that trash into treasure.

    “I have wanted to pick up scrapbooking as a hobby,” she says. “So I decided to save as many pieces of trash as I could for my scrapbook.”

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    Harper even convinced her friend Ella to join her. They had a lot of fun being creative together! And Harper learned that it was easier than she thought to make small changes. 

    “I also switched from paper towels to reusable hand towels for drying my hands,” she says. “I felt really proud of myself for sticking to a new routine.”

    Her friend Ella did it too. They had fun! And Harper found that making small changes was fairly easy. 

    “I also switched from paper towels to reusable hand towels for drying my hands,” she says. “I felt really proud of myself for sticking to a new routine.”

    Harper even convinced her friend Ella to join her, and they had a lot of fun being creative together! In addition, Harper learned that it was easier than she thought to make small changes.

    “I also switched from paper towels to reusable hand towels for drying my hands,” she says. “I felt really proud of myself for sticking to a new routine.”

Facing Up to Food Waste

Teen photos courtesy of families

“I decided to turn food waste into something new.” 
—Dheeraj, 13, New Jersey

    Each year, Americans waste 120 billion pounds of food. That’s hard to imagine—but Dheeraj, 13, now gets it. “I noticed I threw out a lot of food, such as apple cores and eggshells,” says the teen from New Jersey. 

    Americans waste 120 billion pounds of food a year. Can you believe that? Dheeraj, 13, can. He’s from New Jersey. “I noticed I threw out a lot of food, such as apple cores and eggshells,” he says.

    Each year, Americans waste 120 billion pounds of food. That’s hard to imagine—but Dheeraj, 13, now gets it. “I noticed I threw out a lot of food, such as apple cores and eggshells,”
says the teen from New Jersey.

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    Dheeraj decided to use as much of it as possible to create something new. He used vegetable scraps to make stock—an ingredient used in many soups and stews. He put eggshells in vinegar to make a plant fertilizer. In the future, he hopes to learn how to compost. (That’s when you turn food waste into soil.)

    “In the beginning, I was very ambitious,” says Dheeraj. “I found the challenge easier when I didn’t put as much pressure on myself. Now, before I throw something out, I just ask: What could this become?” 

    He made things from food trash. He made stock from vegetable scraps. (Many soups and stews start with stock.) He made a plant fertilizer from eggshells. He hopes to learn how to compost. (That’s when you turn food waste into soil.)

    “In the beginning, I was very ambitious,” he says. “I found the challenge easier when I didn’t put as much pressure on myself. Now, before I throw something out, I just ask: What could this become?”

    Dheeraj decided to use as much of it as possible to create something new. One way he did this was by using his vegetable scraps to make stock—an ingredient used in many soups and stews. He put eggshells in vinegar to make a plant fertilizer. In the future, he hopes to learn how to compost. (That’s when you turn food waste into soil.)

    “In the beginning, I was very ambitious,” says Dheeraj. “I found the challenge easier when I didn’t put as much pressure on myself. Now, before I throw something out, I just ask: What could this become?”

The Plastic Problem

Teen photos courtesy of families

“I wanted to reduce my single-use plastics.” 
—Nick, 14, Ohio

    Tracking trash was also eye-opening for Nick, 14, of Ohio. “I threw out a lot of single-use plastics, like water bottles and food containers,” he says. 

    Nick, 14, learned from tracking trash too. He lives in Ohio. “I threw out a lot of single-use plastics, like water bottles and food containers,” he says.

    Tracking trash was also eye-opening for Nick, 14, of Ohio. “I threw out a lot of single-use plastics, like water bottles and food containers,” he says.

Shutterstock.com 

    Nick’s goal was to reuse more. He got a refillable metal water bottle instead of drinking bottled water. He also started packing his lunch in reusable glass containers. “Changing my habits was not as much of a hassle as I thought it would be,” he says.

    So what do you say: Are you ready to join the zero-waste movement? 

    So he reused more. He stopped drinking bottled water. He got a refillable metal water bottle. He packed his lunch in reusable glass containers. “Changing my habits was not as much of a hassle as I thought it would be,” he says.

    Are you ready to join the zero-waste movement? 

    Nick’s goal was to reuse more, so he got a refillable metal water bottle instead of drinking bottled water. He also started packing his lunch in reusable glass containers. “Changing my habits was not as much of a hassle as I thought it would be,” he says.

    So what do you say: Are you ready to join the zero-waste movement? 

 

4 More Ways 

to Join the Zero-Waste Movement

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1- Consider Your Closet:

The average person in the U.S. buys 53 new items of clothing each year. You can make a big difference by shopping secondhand.

1- Consider Your Closet:

The average person in the U.S. buys 53 new items of clothing each year. You can make a big difference by shopping secondhand.

1- Consider Your Closet:

The average person in the U.S. buys 53 new items of clothing each year. You can make a big difference by shopping secondhand.

Shutterstock.com 

2- Repair, Don’t Replace:

Patch that bike tire. Fix those worn-out socks. If you need help, search for tips online.

2- Repair, Don’t Replace:

Patch that bike tire. Fix those worn-out socks. If you need help, search for tips online.

2- Repair, Don’t Replace:

Patch that bike tire. Fix those worn-out socks. If you need help, search for tips online.

Shutterstock.com 

3- Learn to Cook:

Then use up leftovers and other ingredients already in your fridge!

3- Learn to Cook:

Then use up leftovers and other ingredients already in your fridge!

3- Learn to Cook:

Then use up leftovers and other ingredients already in your fridge!

Shutterstock.com 

4- Speak Up:

Does your favorite lip gloss or deodorant come in way too much plastic packaging? Write to the company and demand change.

4- Speak Up:

Does your favorite lip gloss or deodorant come in way too much plastic packaging? Write to the company and demand change.

4- Speak Up:

Does your favorite lip gloss or deodorant come in way too much plastic packaging? Write to the company and demand change.

The Zero-Waste Town

In Kamikatsu, Japan, people work together to live trash-free. How do they do it?  

April 2026
by Alex Lim-Chua Wee

Jim McMahon/Mapman ® 

    Do you think your town could stop producing trash? It sounds like an impossible goal. But a small town in Japan is trying to do just that. 

    About 1,500 people live in Kamikatsu. Since 2003, they have worked together to create as little waste as possible. They recycle most of their trash. They give away unwanted clothes and toys. Shops and cafés avoid single-use plastic bags, cups, and utensils. The town doesn’t even have garbage trucks. 

    Today Kamikatsu recycles about 81 percent of its trash. By 2030, the town hopes to produce zero waste. 

    But getting here didn’t happen overnight. 

    Could your town stop producing trash? It sounds impossible. But a small town in Japan is trying to do just that.

    About 1,500 people live in Kamikatsu. Since 2003, they’ve been creating as little waste as possible. They recycle most of their trash. They give away unwanted clothes and toys. Shops and cafes avoid single-use plastic bags, cups, and so on. The town doesn’t even have garbage trucks.

    Today Kamikatsu recycles 81 percent of its trash. By 2030, it hopes to make zero waste.

    But it didn’t happen overnight.

    Do you think your town could stop producing trash? It sounds like an impossible goal, but a small town in Japan is trying to do just that.

    About 1,500 people live in Kamikatsu. Since 2003, they have worked together to create as little waste as possible. They recycle most of their trash and give away unwanted clothes and toys. Shops and cafés avoid single-use plastic bags, cups, and utensils. The town doesn’t even have garbage trucks.

    Today Kamikatsu recycles about 81 percent of its trash—and by 2030, the town hopes to produce zero waste.

    But getting here didn’t happen overnight.

A Burning Issue

Carl Court/Getty Images 

Kamikatsu is a quiet mountain town.

    About 50 years ago, Kamikatsu looked a lot different. The air was often dark and smoky. You could smell the stench of melting plastic from miles away. That’s because the town used to burn much of its trash. 

    But bad air quality started causing a lot of health problems. By the late 1990s, the town knew that it needed to change. The residents had to figure out what to do with the trash. An even better question was: How could they create less of it?

    About 50 years ago, Kamikatsu looked different. The town used to burn much of its trash. The air was often dark and smoky. You could smell the stench of melting plastic from miles away.

    The bad air caused health problems. By the late 1990s, the town knew that it had to change. But what would they do with their trash? Better yet, how could they create less of it?

    About 50 years ago, Kamikatsu looked very different. The air was often dark and smoky, and you could smell the stench of melting plastic from miles away. That’s because the town used to burn much of its trash.

    But bad air quality started causing a lot of health problems. By the late 1990s, the town knew that it needed to change. The residents had to figure out what to do with their trash. An even better question was: How could they create less of it?

Edmund Sumner-VIEW/Alamy Stock Photo 

This building is made of recycled materials.

    People realized that most of their waste was coming from the kitchen. So the government began a composting program. This process helps turn food scraps into special soil. A few years later, the town also expanded its recycling program. 

    Today what used to be Kamikatsu’s main garbage-burning site is now the Zero Waste Center. Here, locals can learn about living a zero-waste life. They can donate and pick up reusable items. 

    And they can bring their trash and sort it for recycling. The 45 categories include plastic bottles, batteries, and toothbrushes. 

    Most of their waste was coming from the kitchen. So the government began a composting program. This process helps turn food scraps into special soil. Later, the town expanded its recycling program.

    Kamikatsu’s main garbage-burning site no longer burns garbage. It is now the Zero Waste Center. Here, locals learn about living a zero-waste life. They donate and pick up reusable items. They bring their trash and sort it for recycling. The 45 categories include plastic bottles, batteries, and toothbrushes.

    People realized that most of their waste was coming from the kitchen, so the government began a composting program. This process helps turn food scraps into special soil. A few years later, the town also expanded its recycling program.

    What used to be Kamikatsu’s main garbage-burning site is now the Zero Waste Center. Here, locals can learn about living a zero-waste life. They can donate and pick up reusable items, and they can bring their trash and sort it for recycling. The 45 categories include plastic bottles, batteries, and toothbrushes.

Carl Court/Getty Images 

People sort trash into 45 categories.

        The Zero Waste Center even makes it fun. You can earn points for recycling, composting, and donating items. Points can be traded in for coupons and prizes. 

        But perhaps the biggest prize is a better future and a cleaner Earth. 

        The Zero Waste Center makes it fun. You can earn points for recycling, composting, and donating items. Points get you prizes. 

        But the biggest prize is a better future and a cleaner Earth. •

        The Zero Waste Center even makes it fun by awarding points for recycling, composting, and donating items. Points can be traded in for coupons and prizes.

        But perhaps the biggest prize is a better future and a cleaner Earth. •

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