Simon Evans - Everything I Have
One of the key drivers of waste is unneccessary and/or over consumption. A great way for any individual or business to start to reduce waste is to take stock first. There could be boxes of paper in a cupboard you forgot about, half used packets of pasta in the panty, four rolls of tin foil, old cell phones, unused socks pushed to the back of the drawer, a shirt with a missing button that just needs sewing back on, office chairs that could be refurbished, unused stationery etc. So, instead of buying “another one” ‘cos this one has a hole in it/I can’t find it/it’s easier/I can’t remember if I have any/it’s trendy etc… take stock and look around at what “stuff” you have already.
Taking stock, making an inventory will help you to work out exactly what you need to buy. You might find that you have last season’s clothes that are perfectly fine to wear again or clothes that need a minor mend, a large stash of stationery, a couch that can be recovered instead of buying a new one, lots of food to eat (reducing your shopping list), a range of office furniture that can be utilised or sold etc.
Take stock like artist Simon Evans who created a piece called Everything I Have by taking a photo of every single item he owns. It puts how much stuff you have into perspective.
Taking stock is apart of the first step of waste minimisation – recognise what you buy and then what you waste.
Simon Evans - Everything I Have
Tags: business, consumption, Everything I Have, inventory, reduce, Simon Evans, waste
