This Earth Day, Learn From A Woman Who Lives A "Zero Waste" Life

Did you know that an average person generates 4.3 pounds of waste per day? According to Duke University's Center for Sustainability and Commerce, approximately 55 percent of 220 million tons of waste generated each year in the United States ends up in one of the over 3,500 landfills.

"Using 'business-as-usual' projections, we predict that, by 2100, solid-waste generation rates will exceed 11 million tonnes per day - more than three times today's rate. With lower populations, denser, more resource-efficient cities and less consumption (along with higher affluence), the peak could come forward to 2075 and reduce in intensity by more than 25 percent. This would save around 2.6 million tonnes per day," reported Nature in 2013.

As you eye the piles of trash in your backyard, think of what earth wuold be like as the amount of generated waste increases, bringing serious consequences globally.  While you may think you are powerless to do something to save what's left of the earth, these people think the opposite.

In line with today's Earth Day celebrations, meet the Maryland native who lives a "zero waste" life.

"When I say Zero Waste life, many people are curious about what that means and how does it work? Zero Waste life is the practice of producing no trash. I dodge packaging, to-go ware and even brand spanking new items to keep from contributing to landfills," Anamarie Shreeves writes on her blog.

Shreeves is a 26-year-old site manager for the nonprofit Keep Atlanta Beautiful, who considers herself an earth advocate. In an interview with CNN, Shreeves, who started to adopt a "zero waste" life April last year, shared how she was inspired by the No Trash Project, a blog that shares about how to live a waste-free life.

Since then she has dropped her old habits to adopt the more earth-friendly ones. Recalling how her journey had been, she said a greener life is not easy, but it is undoubtedly fulfilling, knowing that you are doing something to save the earth. To this date, she has learned to make her own shampoo, toothpaste and even uses reusable feminine products

Asked about the most rewarding experience she had ever since commiting to make the earth a more liveable place, "The quality of life that I experience as a zero waster far exceeds my life before. It's made me appreciate the things that I do have. I wouldn't want to be in another space," she told CNN.