What is the circular economy, and how does it improve sustainability?

By Julia Hernández Malagón

The circular economy in our daily lives

In the circular economy model, waste is transformed into a resource. It involves reusing, repairing, sharing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. This way, we can keep waste to a minimum, combat climate change, and save money while creating value.

The term circular economy is becoming increasingly popular, and many brands, such as IKEA and Adidas, are implementing this practice in the design of their products. For example, IKEA buys back used products to send them to an IKEA Circular Hub for resale and donation. They also offer workshops to share tips on how to prolong the life of products. Other industry examples include companies redesigning electrical devices in a way that is easier to repair and reuse.

So how can we, as consumers, adopt a circular economy approach when making consumer choices? 

In this article, we share some tips to lead a more circular life based on the 5R’s of the circular economy: rethink, redesign, reduce, reuse, and recycle. 

TIP 1: Make thoughtful consumer choices.

• Rethink and reduce. Reflect on your consumption habits. Do you really need that extra pair of shoes? The best way to avoid waste is to buy fewer things. Revise your current inventory, and think of buying second-hand items. After adopting this practice, you’ll be surprised by how many things we buy that we don’t really need!
• Reuse and recycle. Whenever you buy a product, it’s important to consider what you’ll do with it at the end of its usable life. For example, when it's time to replace your sneakers, what will you do with your old shoes? What about donating or selling them online? In this case, Soles4Souls (S4S) has a program that allows you to donate your shoes, keeping them from going to waste by sending them to people in developing countries. There are also recycling programs, like the ones carried out by TerraCycle, where you can drop off all kinds of used goods to be recycled. Reusing and recycling your products is easier than it seems, and the impact and reward are outstanding. It takes a bit of research at first, but once you’ve done it once, it’ll be much easier the next time! 
• Redesign (or repurpose). Can you reuse or repair your old shoes to extend their lives? Can you find other uses? Get creative. You can find ideas on Instagram and Pinterest to find new uses for your old materials—so many items can be repurposed and upcycled in innovative ways!

Did you know there are many new startups and apps designed to help us make more environmentally considerate decisions? 

For example, here are some useful apps to look up that aim to keep food waste to a minimum:
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• Too Good to Go: This company’s mission is to reduce food waste. It allows you to buy unsold food leftover at the end of the day and/or packaged items nearing their best before date for a very low price.  
• NoWaste and Fridgely: Their mission is to combat food waste. They’ll help you identify which items you need to consume before they expire. Not only can this help you reduce waste but it’ll also save you some money!

TIP 2: Increase demand for products or services that are most consistent with circular economy principles.
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• As much as possible, try to purchase items that adhere to circular economy principles; this will further increase the demand for these products.
• How do we know if the goods we are buying are consistent with circular economy principles? One way is to look at the labels. Here are some examples of recognizable labels that can help you identify products that have been produced using sustainable practices. In later articles, we’ll explain in more detail the different labels that can help identify sustainable products.
  
  

TIP 3: Learn more about the places you shop and their sustainable practices. 

• Are they committed to sustainability? Do they operate using any circular economy principles? Do they offer more sustainable alternatives to the products and/or services that you’ve been buying? 
• You can start by looking at company websites, but you can also look around in store. When no public information can be found, it doesn’t hurt to ask a shop employee—chances are, they’ll be able to tell you a bit about their sustainability practices! 
• If you discover that the shops you’ve been purchasing from aren’t very sustainable, consider taking your business elsewhere. You can always try googling things like “sustainable stores near me,” “sustainable products near me,” or “zero waste stores near me.” You might be surprised at how many search results there are! 

TIP 4: Think about the packaging.

Do I need that much plastic to protect my purchase? Can I use my own bag instead? Can I use a reusable cup or container instead of a disposable one? Be sure to ask yourself questions like these before making a purchase. 


Key takeaways

It’s often the little things that make all the difference, and we can each do our part to protect the environment. If you’re interested in learning more about the circular economy and finding better uses for your old products, come check out REmarket! 

REmarket is an initiative that the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Waste Reduction Group (SLNA-WRG) has put in place to reduce local waste by collecting unwanted post-consumer goods to keep them out of the landfill. They also offer repair services to extend the life of your products and a totally free market to give back to their local communities.

Full event details can be found here, and don’t forget to review the full event guidelines before participating!