A quick bike ride to the weekly market – taking with you: organic mesh bags and Tupperware. The flat white on the way to work is available in the ReCup for a one euro deposit, and the poke bowl from the food truck in the ReBowl at lunchtime. At home, beeswax wrap replaces aluminum foil, and attention is paid to food waste. If necessary, food is boiled down. Any leftover food is distributed via food sharing. Organic waste ends up in the worm bin. Furniture and clothes are second-hand. And everything that is no longer needed is resold or given away. It would be a shame.

A look at many everyday lives and lifestyles – especially in the world’s major cities and Insta channels – shows this: Zero waste aspirations are real (and very hip). At the same time, however, a look at our streets – as well as current statistics – shows also that zero waste is not real at all: When it comes to waste, our society is living a huge paradox. Because while the hipster-academic bubbles of this world boast about the sustainable use of our planet, the production of waste is increasing worldwide. A recent study by the UN Environment Program predicts a 65 per cent increase in waste by 2050 – with a massive impact on health and the economy. Waste costs could almost double and there is an urgent need to drastically reduce waste.

So it’s no wonder that many of the world’s major cities have proclaimed themselves “zero waste cities”. The ultimate goal of zero waste is to create a system where all materials are reused, recycled, or composted, and nothing is sent to landfills, incinerators, or the environment. A zero-waste city is idealistic, an almost unattainable goal. Nevertheless, in this issue of topos we dare to discuss how it could become a reality. To this end, we take a look at New York City (USA), Kiel (Germany), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), China and Bangladesh, and examine the current approach to waste and efforts to achieve zero waste.

Our coverage shows; it’s a goal that’s driving innovation. But the zero-waste city is also not just about technology or policy – it’s about culture. Our portrait of the company Patagonia highlights how fashion companies can lead the way in sustainable production, while our story about environmental activist Robin Greenfield challenges us to rethink our consumption habits. We are particularly pleased with the contribution of John Morton, who, on behalf of the World Bank, offers insights on how international finance can support zero waste systems, reminding us that this is a global challenge that requires global solutions.

As we close out the year with this issue, we invite you to join us in reimagining our cities not just as places we live in, but as living systems where nothing goes to waste. After all, in the pursuit of truly sustainable urban environments, every scrap counts. With this in mind: Happy Holidays, I look forward to 2025 with you.

Get the topos 129 – Zero Waste – here.

Our last issue took a look at cities of the future, which are nature-based – or at least they should be if we want to live in them tomorrow. While the building of cities was once a symbol of humanity’s victory over wild nature, today more and more metropolises are trying to bring nature back. Greater resilience, sustainability, quality of life and biodiversity are just a few of the many good arguments for doing so. In issue 128 of topos magazine, we take a look at the concept of the biophilic city, its pros and cons, and we discuss hand-picked examples of cities (including San Francisco (USA), Edmonton (CA) and Wellington (NZ)), that have successfully integrated fauna and flora into their urban structures. Read more in the editorial of topos 128 – Biophilic Cities.