Zero-Waste Lifestyle Behind the Iron Curtain

Frugal life under communism and elements of the contemporary zero-waste movement.

Izabella Warner
Nov 6 · 5 min read

Plastic Revolution

Unless you have been living under a rock, you are familiar with the plastic epidemic that after decades of dependance is making our planet drown in plastic waste. Ever since bakelite, the first plastic made from synthetic components, the world has fallen head over heels for the charm of plastics. The magical ability of this material to be molded into any imaginable shape and the low cost of manufacture, durability, and versatility has led plastics to prevail over traditional materials and invade every aspect of our daily lives.

Photo by Mae Mu on Unsplash

However, the properties that make plastics so functional have disastrous effects on our environment. With the high rate of plastics manufacture and its resistance to environmental degradation, plastic materials persistence in the natural environment long after it’s intended use is turning our planet into a synthetic desert.

The Zero Waste Movement

The Zero Waste movement peaked in the late ’90s and ever since has been promoting an ideology opposing the single-use mentality that has allowed plastics to flourish our society. In direct opposition to the everyday use of plastics, zero waste practices turn to the use of traditional materials, such as glass and wood, to prevent waste.

The idea behind zero waste is to recycle, reuse, and repurpose to create a circular flow of materials and reduce and eliminate the need for landfill and environmental pollution. The Zero Wate Movement was born out of the alarming realization of the apocalyptic consequences of linear “take, make, dispose” economy.

Circular Economy in the Domestic Setting Behind the Iron Curtain

You might have heard of the Iron Curtain, the over 4000 plus miles long physical barrier of walls, fences, and checkpoints that for decades divided the East from the West. The Iron Curtain was a physical, military, and ideological barrier separating the eastern bloc countries under the hegemony of the Soviet Union from the West.

Much has been written about life in the Eastern bloc under Soviet rule. The economic climate and political and social restrictions in the communist states existed in direct opposition to the consumerist society of the West. The West enjoyed social and economic freedoms and an overabundance of goods, which created little need for the frugal and penny-pinching mentality of their eastern counterparts.

It’s probably inevitable that the thrifty attitude of those living behind the Iron Curtain was rooted in experiences of scarcity during the war and the subsequent economic circumstances of communism. Consequently, the appreciation of thriftiness and reuse practices lead to a much more circular household economy, which echos the current climate of the zero waste movement. The frugal way of life behind the Iron Curtain and can provide valuable lessons for those reluctant to change their consumerist consumption patterns today.

Zero-Waste Tips and Habits from behind the Iron Curtain

So by now, you might be wondering what motivated me to write about the similarities of the frugal way of life in the Eastern bloc and the contemporary zero-waste movement. Well, the more I read about zero waste lifestyle tips and habits, the more I am reminded about the way things were done when I was a child.

Photo by Sylvie Tittel on Unsplash

The customs and routines that were part of my childhood behind the Iron Curtain present a snapshot of daily life very different from the way I am raising my children. They are, however, becoming increasingly common in popular culture around today. While Mashable is writing about it and Youtubers such as Shelbizleee and Sustainably Vegan are sharing their tips and trying to motivate a new generation of zero-waste converts, I am reminded how things were when I was a child.

So, without further delay, here is a list of zero waste habits and practices that I observed growing up. Some of these habits are coming back into everyday life with the popularity of the zero waste movement.

Groceries and packaging

  1. Taking your reusable totes when going grocery shopping
  2. Buying milk in a glass bottle or getting it directly from a farmer in a metal can
  3. Toothpaste being available only in metal tubes
  4. Soap bars sold without any packaging
  5. Bread sold without being packaged in plastic bags
  6. Fresh ugly, imperfect unwashed produce sold unpackaged directly from the farmer at a market
  7. Buying unpacked eggs and taking them home in a particular reusable container
  8. Buying butter cut from a huge block and wrapped in paper
  9. Buying cold cuts and cheese in chunks and wrapped in paper
  10. Making jam and preserves out of imperfect fruit

Fix it and DYI attitude

  1. Getting your shoes mended at the cobbler
  2. Having runs in stockings repaired professionally instead of throwing them out
  3. Wearing hand me downs, repairing or making your clothes
  4. Having electronics and appliances fixed at a fraction of the cost of buying new ones
  5. Taking public transport or walking instead of using the car

Re-using things and avoiding single-use products

  1. Using newspapers when toilet paper was scares
  2. Using handkerchiefs as single-use tissues were unpopular
  3. Collecting tiny bits of soap together and combining them into a bigger bar
  4. Taking your food wrapped in aluminum foil and a thermos of tea on road trips and outings
  5. Using metal razors because plastic disposables were not available

Conserving resources

  1. Airdrying clothes
  2. Religiously turning off lights when you leave a room
  3. Stapling together loose bits of paper to make small note pads
  4. Recycling paper and metal products

A lot has been written about the bleak and gloomy years of day to day life in a deprived socialist economy. While certainly flawed, and never originally framed in environmental terms, life behind the Iron Curtain was minimal and unquestionably more environmentally friendly compared to today’s Western standards. Day to day existence in a society with limited essential resources was all about getting by with what you had and making it last as long as possible.

The zero-waste movement arose as a response to curb the catastrophic consequences of a consumer economy with an insatiable appetite for consumption and waste production. The forced minimalist existence behind the Iron Curtain shares some of its elements with the modern zero-waste movement. Let’s hope we can learn to adopt some of those more sustainable practices in our daily lives.

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