Hannah Blumhardt is one busy lady. Having a background in law, policy, history and international relations she serves as the zero-waste expert for Better Futures Forum, founded The Rubbish Trip with her partner Liam in 2015 and is the co-founder and policy spokesperson for Takeaway Throwaways. Hannah is also a member of the steering committee for the New Zealand Product Stewardship Council, amongst many other things! Hannah is a passionate advocate for zero waste living, her work and research spans from grassroots to government and focuses on reaching a waste-free world.In this episode we discuss:• Hannah’s background and journey to a waste-free lifestyle• The motivation behind establishing The Rubbish Trip• The need to shift our thinking about waste, the waste hierarchy and the surprising fact that recycling is one of the least preferable options• Linear versus circular economy models and the consequences on the environment• Industry ‘greenwashing’ and the complacency that stems from that• Government, industry and consumer responsibilities in waste management • The New Zealand Product Stewardship scheme and the potential benefits and pitfalls• What changes individuals can make to reduce their impact on the environmentThere are a lot of important topics covered in this episode if you care about the environment – whether you are a local kiwi or based abroad, this is a necessary listen. Please help us reach more people with this important message by liking, reviewing, subscribing and most importantly sharing this episode with friends and family.(photo credit: Solene News and Land)