Reporting by David Bernstein, Nora O’Donnell, Lena Singer, Cassie Walker, and Jennifer WehunT

Efficiency isn’t just about faster output on the factory room floor, it’s also about pooling resources and using every scrap in sight. With help from your nominations, we’re recognizing six people—a fashion designer, an architect, an activist, a city worker, and two restaurateurs—who let nothing go to waste.

Documentary by Suree Towfighnia/Prairie Dust Films