What Can I Do to Help the Circular Economy?
INDIVIDUALS:
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Don’t throw away shoes, clothing and other textiles! Contact Us to create a collection event, or find out about a collection location near you. Even the most worn out clothing and footwear can be repurposed.
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When ordering take out, tell the vendor you don't need their disposable napkins, straws, forks, knives or spoons. You can do this when you order (via "special request" for online orders) but also check the bag when you pick up. As long as a restaurant employee removes items from your bag, the restaurant can give materials to another customer. More importantly they'll be reminded of good practices and customer values.
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At home, change from paper to cloth napkins. Paper napkins cannot be recycled. Although they may be made from recycled paper, there's more than enough use for recycled paper elsewhere!
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Collect and recycle plastic films, like single use plastic bags or food wrapping. Many grocery stores have collection bins.
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Consider clothing that is made from sustainable fabrics and encourages recycling, such as 100% organic cotton.
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Reduce what needs to go into a closed loop!. Buy things of a quality that last a long time, and come in less packaging.
COMMUNITIES:
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Contact Us to create a textiles collection event! You can raise money for your favorite charity, and do good for the environment too!
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Learn the detail of your town’s recycling rules, and follow them!
- Don’t put recyclables in plastic bags: that makes them non-recyclable
- Look at the number in the triangle on your plastics, and know what numbers are accepted by your town. Many towns take only 1’s, 2’s, and 5’s, and few, if any, takes 7’s.
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Encourage recycling in schools, with signage and additional bins in the cafeterias, classrooms and playgrounds.
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Work with schools and local restaurants to reduce what needs to be thrown away. Does the school lunchroom need containers of milk and juice, or can drinks be placed in metal containers that allow each student to get what they want in an amount that they want?
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Use social media to promote reuse initiatives.
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Connect with your local high school’s Environmental Club. There isn’t one? Then find an industrious high school student or two that wants to start one, and help.
BUSINESSES:
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Put a preference on purchasing recycled paper for printing, business cards and other printed materials.
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Set a reasonable company wide goal to recycle XX lbs of cans and bottles per week and make it easy to do by placing recyclable bins in convenient locations.
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Rather than providing single use cups, plates or serve ware to be used in the office, offer reusable mugs, plates and glasses or encourage employees to bring their own.
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Choose greener options, where available, when it comes to single-use items