China's zero-waste activists fight overconsumption

Carrie Yu (R) and Joe Harvey, founders of zero-waste shop The Bulk House, pose beside their wardrobe at their home in Beijing. Beijing resident Carrie Yu no longer wants to contribute to the mountains of waste generated by the country's growing embrace of convenient consumerism.

Nearly every object in the minimalist apartment she shares with her partner was selected with reusability and low environmental impact in mind.

Yu and Harvey are keen to encourage others to try their way of life and have launched The Bulk House, an online store that sells alternatives to single-use products including biodegradable tape made from cornstarch and washable menstrual pads.

Carrie Yu (C), founder of zero-waste shop The Bulk House, places an avocado into her personal re-usable bag while shopping at a market in Beijing.

Yu, who made the change after a difficult move forced her to part with most of her belongings and confront her shopping habit, feels the "zero-waste" approach is good for people as well as the planet.

By recycling, repurposing and composting most of their garbage, Yu and her British partner Joe Harvey, are able to fit three months of household waste into just two jars.

Some aspects of zero-waste living, such as reusing packaging, are familiar to older Chinese people.

Carrie Yu, founder of zero-waste shop The Bulk House, places eggs into her personal re-usable egg carton while shoppinh at a market in Beijing.

Carrie Yu (L) and Joe Harvey, founders of zero-waste shop The Bulk House, pose with jars containing all of their personal waste collected over three months at their home in Beijing.

China produced 210 million tonnes of waste in 2017, according to World Bank data, lower than the United States figure of 258 million but expected to jump dramatically as incomes grow.