Stephanie J. Miller
Photo credit: Corey Sulser
My Journey to Living Zero Waste
I have always been inspired by big ideas. The process of bringing those ideas to life, with real and sustainable impact through practical action, has always been a driving force for me.
Working at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for 25 years, I was lucky to have the opportunity to lead teams in finding innovative solutions to climate change and other development challenges in emerging markets. I landed my dream job as director of Climate Business in 2011, when the institutional commitment to climate change mitigation was still at a nascent stage. Together with my talented team, we coined the term ‘climate-smart’ investments and I led a growth strategy which drove climate-related business to record levels of $2.5 billion per year, a 50% increase in a three-year period. I mobilized a team to develop the EDGE green buildings brand and platform, which is now a $5 billion business for IFC.
As IFC’s director of Western Europe from 2015 to 2019, I continued to advance the climate agenda with European partners committed to implementing renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. I spread the word wherever I could…delivering keynote presentations at high level global events on climate finance; authoring a White Paper entitled “Tackling Global Warming by Creating Markets for Climate Business;” and interviewing with CNNMoney Switzerland on green bonds.
Having spent my career looking for solutions to climate challenges at a macro level, I began to question what could be done at the individual level. I wondered how I could have more of an impact, or perhaps less of an impact (!) by reducing my personal carbon and waste footprint. The questions I began to look at were: What can we-- as individuals-- do to reverse the current climate and waste crises? Could individual actions have a ripple effect that could lead to systemic change? If so, how could busy people make the necessary changes?
This led to my own personal experiment to see how I could create a zero waste lifestyle. I researched exhaustively, talked with prominent waste and plastics specialists, visited recycling facilities in my region, presented ideas and recommendations in my local community, and began advising others on how they could implement simple but important changes.
What I concluded from my research and my engagement in the community is that you don’t have to do everything under the sun to make a huge difference. My journey led me to the simplicity of the 80/20 rule. By focusing on those things (the 20%) that can make the biggest (80%) difference, every individual can make a real and sustainable impact. And I’m convinced that, collectively—through our daily actions and consumer choices—we can create cleaner air, cleaner oceans and mitigate climate change.
So this is an invitation. I would be thrilled to work with you and share what I have learned. Will you join me on this zero waste lifestyle journey? I hope that you will so we can collectively turn the tide at this critical moment.