Meet the TeamZero Waste Europe – general
It’s time to discover and learn more about the people behind Zero Waste Europe’s work and magic! In this edition of our #MeetTheTeam series, we sat down with Nanna Bille Cornelsen, one of our Communications Officers, who has been at Zero Waste Europe sinceApril 2022.
How did you come to join Zero Waste Europe?
Sometimes a story needs a prelude, so here is mine: I never planned to move to Brussels or even work on the European project. During my studies, my sights had been firmly set on China, as I had taken a bachelor’s in Chinese studies (Sinology) and a Master’s in Journalism. After getting my degree, I realised the world only needs a limited number of China correspondents, so I pivoted into Communications, dreaming of a full-time position at an NGO.
During Covid, my partner got an internship in Brussels, which was extended to a 1-year contract; a change that made me consider how Belgium could fit into my life, and vice versa. I was lucky enough to get an internship in Communications at the European Ombudsman, which became my entry point into this beautifully messy European project.
Landing in Brussels made me feel truly European for the first time. In Denmark, it’s quite rare to think this way, as many people see themselves as Danish and Scandinand decided to stay. When the time came to move on from my internship, I found an amazing opportunity at Zero Waste Europe. 💚
What motivated you to work for a zero waste Europe?
I had previously worked in the NGO world and in media, so I knew how fulfilling it is when your values align with the organisation (and vice versa when that isn’t the case). Waste was a new topic for me, but it was clear from the get-go that working at ZWE was an opportunity to make a difference for both people and planet.
Waste is an issue that permeates all areas of life, much more than people realise – and especially as consumption in (Western) Europe has accelerated. In my experience, the trigger that makes someone realise the magnitude of the waste problem can come from many different places: for some people, it can be the food they waste at home, or the sight of waste bags full of single-use plastic piling up in their street during a strike. For others, the spark might be a news story about the impact of waste pollution on their local community, for example, neighbours getting sick because of the nearby incinerator. And once that veil has been removed from your eyes, you see the consequences of waste pollution everywhere.
For me, the trigger – and the place I’ve made the biggest personal change – has really been textile waste. In less than a decade, fast and ultra-fast fashion has changed our relationship with clothing so much, and on average, garments are worn fewer than 7-10 times before being thrown away. Once you realise that the pink polyacrylic H&M sweater* you wore briefly until it pilled too much was likely either 1. burned in an incinerator or 2. shipped outside of the EU as an ‘economic opportunity’ for people in the global south (with the added bonus of being dumped in waterways or in the desert if it cannot be resold) – there is really no going back.
Consumers have been sold this idea that fast fashion can be ethical and/or good for the environment if it’s made from ‘recycled’ materials (i.e. downcycled from plastic bottles) and donated when they no longer want it. In reality, most clothing donations do not get a second life because there are simply too many (low-quality) clothes for second-hand operators to handle. Add to this that garment workers in the Global South are being exploited to keep prices low while also putting their health on the line. It’s a really complex and emotional topic for many people, because clothing is so tied to culture and identity. I’m personally really grateful that I get to push the needle on this issue, both professionally and personally, and my biggest hope is that our work on textile waste can spark the same realisation for others that it did for me.
*I sure as hell don’t remember where this sweater went – or when it left my closet (photo from Inner Mongolia, 2014).
Sewing and mending workshops that I organise regularly at work, where colleagues can teach each other how to do small clothing repairs or add decorative elements like embroidery.
Upcycling a used pair of denim jeans into a handbag.
What would you say is the most interesting part of your job?
At face value, waste doesn’t seem all that complicated: it’s either there or it’s not. But managing waste and re quickly becomes super technical. How do you communicate the impact of food waste on our climate or the intricacies of the EU ETS in a way that makes the reader or listener keen to learn more? Helping my colleagues make their work understandable and interesting to non-experts is always a fun challenge
What would you say is your greatest professional achievement while working at ZWE?
All of my successes are a collaborative effort, but out of all the projects that I’ve worked on while at ZWE, these are the ones that I am most proud of:
- These two infographics that I created with my colleague, Theresa Mörsen, on circular fashion – thefirst one, drafted by me and made in collaboration with the design agency Blush, has been published in several school books and even referenced inan academic journal. Thesecond oneshows what a circular textiles city could look like.
- Together with Jack McQuibban and the amazing team at Zero Waste Montenegro (ZWMNE), we developed thisinteractive case studyon how ZWMNE set up bio-waste collection and sorting pilots across the country. Super fun and customisable format – this will definitely not be the last time we do something like this.
- The last project is also the most recent: at the beginning of this year, we launched ZWE’s podcast,Within boundaries. The first season, which explores the link between food waste, methane, and climate change, was hosted by me and my fellow Comms colleague Giulia Lodi. I’m very excited to see where the next season will take us!
What are the biggest challenges that you face in your work?
It can sometimes feel like non-Comms people think that they could do the job just as well as you, and that your role is just to ‘make things pretty’ or post on social media. As anyone working in Communications will tell you, that is simply not the case. However, the consequence is that colleagues or collaborators might think their personal likes or dislikes weigh as much as your professional opinion, which can create some frustration.
What is an aspect of your work that you find fun?
I adore the visual side of communications, be it creating a campaign identity, drawing up an infographic, or designing new and engaging visuals and concepts for social media. Video production can also be really fun, though it can sometimes be a bit more complicated to piece together.
It is my favourite part of the job when colleagues need help translating complex systems or concepts – figuring out how to make everything come together in a coherent and accessible way is the best kind of puzzle.
From sketch to final product: the ‘Beyond Circular Fashion‘ infographic , which compares the status quo of our current textile system with the zero waste future we want to see.
In your view, how can we talk about the ongoing climate and waste crisis and its impact in a way that makes people want to act?
It’s double-sided, I think. On one hand, you need the audience – policymakers, city officials, academics, waste managers, ordinary citizens – to understand the full scope of the issue and the impact waste pollution has on us and the environment. However, this kind of communication and storytelling is often really emotionally heavy (and something people have heard many times before). It is really important not to push the reader or listener into climate nihilism, fueling a mindset that the problem is so overwhelming that we cannot possibly do anything about it. The other,essentialpart of the equation must therefore be hope-based communication, showing how people – and especially ordinary citizens – are making a difference and changing their communities, industries, and cities bit by bit.
Looking ahead, which developments or priorities will you be focusing on in your work?
We have a lot of exciting things in the works, including the second season of Within boundaries (which will likely be about my ‘favourite’ waste stream 😇). Over the next six months, I will also be prioritising ZWE’s website, which includes some big structural changes, as well as a better integration of our SEO strategy.
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