Zero waste is a set of principles focused on waste prevention that encourage redesigning resource life cycles so that all products are repurposed (i.e. “up-cycled”) and/or reused. The goal of the movement is to avoid sending trash to landfills, incinerators, the ocean, or any other part of the environment. Currently, only 9% of global plastic is recycled. In a zero waste system, materials would be reused until the optimum level of consumption is reached. The definition adopted by the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) is: Zero Waste: The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse and, recovery of all products, packaging, and materials, without burning them and without discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health. Zero waste refers to waste prevention as opposed to end-of-pipe waste management. It is a “whole systems” approach that aims for a massive change in the way materials flow through society, resulting in no waste. Zero waste encompasses more than eliminating waste through reducing, reusing, and recycling. It focuses on restructuring distribution and production systems to reduce waste. Zero waste provides guidelines for continually working towards eliminating waste. Advocates expect that government regulation is needed to influence industrial choices over product and packaging design, manufacturing processes, and material selection. Advocates say eliminating waste decreases pollution, and can also reduce costs due to the reduced need for raw materials. cradle-to-grave The cradle-to-grave is a linear material model that begins with resource extraction, moves to product manufacturing, and ends with a "grave" or landfill where the product is disposed of. Cradle-to-grave is in direct contrast to cradle-to-cradle materials or products, which are recycled into new products at the end of their lives so that ultimately there is no waste. Cradle-to-cradle focuses on designing industrial systems so that materials flow in closed-loop cycles, which means that waste is minimized and waste products can be recycled and reused. Cradle-to-cradle goes beyond dealing with waste issues after it has been created by addressing problems at the source and redefining problems by focusing on design. The cradle-to-cradle model is sustainable and considerate of life and future generations. The cradle-to-cradle framework has evolved steadily from theory to practice. In the industrial sector, it is creating a new notion of materials and material flows. Just as in the natural world, in which one organism's "waste" cycles through an ecosystem to provide nourishment for