Pay as you throw is becoming more and more popular as a method to reduce waste by municipalities. The general ideas is that residents buy garbage bags specific to their town and then are charged for waste based on the number of bags they throw out. Another version of this is "pay by weight". This is slightly different in the sense that each bag would be weighed at pick up and residents would be charged by the pound. With either method the incentive is to throw away less to pay less.

Worcester, Massachusetts started using this method in 1993. They average 1.2 large garbage bags of trash per pickup. During the first week the compliance rate was nearly 100% and the city has saved over $25 million in the past 20 years.

Some problems with this method is that residents sometimes feel like this is second tax on waste. The custom town bags range from 50 cents to two dollars. If a family of four were to produce one bag a week as my family has done, roughly $65 would be spent a year on garbage bags. Hefty sells an 80 pack of 13 gallon bags for $13, so it's easy to see why residents wouldn't want to pay the difference.

Another issue with this method specifically with the pay by weight version is the equipment needed. Trucks would have to have scales and scanners added. The initial cost of starting method would be pricey but over time it would pay for itself.

While there are some problems to work out this method has proven to work in various cities and could and should be used in other places. Since money is going to be the ultimate motivator to reduce their trash for most people it only makes sense to charge by the bag.

San Francisco is one of the United State's largest city on it's way to zero waste. Their goal is to divert 100% of waste from landfills by 2020. They have accomplished 80% diversion as of 2015 by creating incentives and passing legislation. This includes banning plastic bags and making composting mandatory even though they may be unpopular changes. They also work with local businesses to try and change their habits to be more waste free. One waste haul company even offers a 20% discount to residents who skip trash pick up day twice a month. The last part of diversion work is going to be the hardest part for them because this includes working with product manufacturers in the state and nationwide to ultimately make their products and packaging more eco friendly.

Sweden is among one of if not the most zero waste country in the world. Their citizens all share the same goal of living a sustainable lifestyle. Sorting recycling is part of the daily routine for most. The country had actually exceeded its 2020 recycling goals by 2016 which shows the success of their efforts. They really focus on having a circular economy which is run on the idea of using items for longer periods of times and then reusing them. Sweden even has a special advisory group for this system. They have also set up public services to make a sustainable lifestyle possible. For example there was a 2017 tax reform that made it cheaper to get repairs on used items. Companies are also getting on board. H&M gives a discount to customers who donated clothes. Overall Sweden is highly focused on maintaining and improving the live of their people by making simple and small changes.