MOTTAINAI: The Art of Not Being Wasteful

"Waste not, want not."

I grew up with those words, and they remain a guiding principle in my life. I’ve always tried to encourage those around me to be more mindful of waste.

Mottainai is a Japanese concept that expresses regret over waste - whether it’s food left unfinished on a plate (remember all the starved children in India), a perfectly usable household item thrown away,…