零浪费店

今天想介绍一个环保概念：零浪费店 ("zero waste store")。

去年，我去过一家零浪费店。这家店卖各种各样的食材和其他的用料。比方说：坚果，干果，瓜子，烹饪香料，食用油，手工肥皂，等等。用料是按重量出售。他们鼓励顾客带自己的袋子，瓶子，罐子。要是顾客没有自己的容器，商店也可以提供一些罐子或者纸袋。有些顾客也会把他们不需要的容器留在商店里，给其他的顾客用。

这些零浪费店的目的就是减少我们产生的垃圾，鼓励使用可重复使用的产品，给顾客这个选择：只买需要的东西，不需要额外的包装。一个值得佩服的事业！

在现在的社会中，完全零浪费的行为对普通人来讲不太现实，因为需要牺牲很多现代的方便。举几个例子：很多国家的人们都习惯用一次性的塑料，用好就直接能丢掉，超级方便。在超市里，产品（像零食，饮料）都用塑料包装的。还有，现在外卖跟网上购物和送货越来越普遍了，而都需要很多包装。

一个人的行为能改多少？在伟大的人类世界内，个人的影响确实是渺小的，不过是沧海一粟。但是，如果更多人能渐渐地多思考他们的影响，我相信社会也会慢慢地改变，不仅从行为方面而思想方面。零浪费店的出现就是一种证明！

Today, I would like to introduce an eco-conscious concept: zero waste stores.

Last year, I went to a zero waste store. This store sells all kinds of ingredients and other materials. Some of the things they sell include nuts, dried fruits, seeds, cooking spices, cooking oil, handmade soap, etc. These ingredients are sold by weight. They encourage customers to bring their own bags, bottles, and jars. If customers don't have their own containers, the store can also provide some jars or paper bags. Some customers also leave containers they don't need in the store for other customers to use.

The goal of these zero waste stores is to reduce the waste we produce, to encourage the use of reusable goods, and to give customers the choice of only buying what they need, without any extra packaging. A cause truly worthy of admiration!

In today's society, true zero waste is not realistic for the average person, because it requires the sacrifice of a lot of modern conveniences. Take a few examples: people in many countries are accustomed to using single-use plastics, which can be directly discarded after use and extremely convenient. In supermarkets, products (such as snacks and drinks) are packaged in plastic. In addition, takeout / delivery along with online shopping are becoming more and more widespread, and they all require a lot of packaging.

What can a single person's actions really change? In the grand scheme of things, the influence of the individual is infinitesimal - no more than a drop in the ocean. However, if more and more people gradually start to think more about their impact, I believe that society will also slowly change, not only in terms of behavior but also in terms of ways of thinking. Zero waste stores are one such example!