Gainesville has about 20 years to reach its goal of becoming a zero waste city.
On Thursday, Zero Waste Gainesville will host the second of three workshops discussing zero waste living at 6 p.m. at Library Partnership, at 912 NE 16th Ave. The organization is a zero waste advocacy group.
The workshop is about zero waste dining and travel, and the final workshop on Feb. 21 will discuss do-it-yourself cleaning products. Tickets are free but must be reserved online.
Attendees will learn tips for storing restaurant leftovers and composting, said Amanda Waddle, the organization’s zero waste and policy advisor.
“You can be part of the solution because everybody who does even a little bit to reduce their waste is very helpful,” Waddle said.
Waddle taught the first workshop last Thursday about a waste-free home. About 55 people attended, and it sold out about a week in advance, she said.
Allison Bechtloff, 35, attended and was surprised to learn about what is not recyclable. She said learning about personal waste audits, which is examining your garbage to see where your waste comes from, made her a more mindful consumer.
Bechtloff manages Life Unplastic, a Gainesville store that sells sustainable, plastic-free products. She said the store aims to reduce packaging waste.
“It takes looking at things up close and realizing how you’re being wasteful,” Bechtloff said. “I could be doing a lot more too.”
Correction: The headline was updated to reflect that the workshop is continuing on Thursday.