This panel explores how grassroots communities across diverse contexts are advancing Zero Waste through culturally rooted, decentralized practices that prioritize reduction, reuse, and regeneration. Drawing from doctoral research on ecovillages in Europe and Latin America, we’ll examine how these intentional communities manage waste through participatory systems, composting, and shared responsibility—often without using the term “Zero Waste” but embodying its core principles. Complementing this perspective, Anchor Gardens in Anchorage, Alaska, offers a northern lens on localized Zero Waste through community composting, seed-saving, material reuse, and education tailored to environmental and logistical realities. Together, these stories highlight how community-driven action and regenerative design can foster resilient, place-based solutions that move beyond conventional waste management toward systemic transformation.
Speakers:
- Beatriz Martins Arruda, Researcher in Civil Engineering, University of Campinas
- Larissa Wright-Elson, Network Connector, Anchor Gardens