topos 129 | zero waste

The latest issue of topos 129, the last in 2024, highlights the growing importance of the zero-waste approach and how it is being pursued in cities around the world. The global increase in waste production is prompting cities and our actions to rethink how we deal with it. The vision of zero waste cities is idealistic, but it is inspiring innovation and cultural change, as examples from cities like New York and Kiel show. Companies such as Patagonia and activists such as Robin Greenfield are presented as role models for sustainable consumption, while international funding from organisations such as the World Bank is highlighted as crucial for global solutions. The issue’s message is that every contribution counts in turning cities into sustainable, zero-waste systems.

Topics

FACTS AND FIGURES
How much waste does the world produce every year?

CITIES ON ZERO WASTE
An introduction

PLASTIC WASTE
Micro and macro problem

NEW YORK CITY: THE RUBBISH AND THE RATS
The big apple and the big trash

FOOD WASTE
Edible or not?

FAST FASHION
Fast, faster, fashion

KIEL - A CITY BY THE SEA AGAINST WASTE
Germany's first “zero waste“ city

FACTS AND FIGURES
When did Rwanda ban plastic bags?

DAR ES SALAAM: THE ZERO WASTE CHALLENGE
Africa's city challenges in waste management

ENERGY WASTE
The radioactive waste problem

CHINA’S TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS ZERO WASTE
The world’s largest waste producer

METHAN WASTE 
The powerful greenhouse gas

CHALLENGE AND FUTURE IN BANGLADESH
Pollutions and the mismanagement of waste

REPAIRING IS CARING
Patagonia and their programm

FACTS AND FIGURES
7000 gallons of water compared to one tonne of paper

ZERO WASTE TECHNOLOGIES
Smart Solutions

CRADLE TO CRADLE
The waste of building

CONTRIBUTORS