It’s Waste Reduction Week in Canada. What does that mean?

We all work hard to reduce waste and lessen our carbon footprints. So let’s celebrate our environmental efforts and achievements with Waste Reduction Week!

While waste reduction is an ongoing effort—and Waste Reduction Week is a year-round program—October 18 to 23, 2021 is a week where we will celebrate our goal-setting and our determinations, while learning how to further our waste-reduction efforts.

It’s all about being encouraged to further reduce waste!

Every day this week, we’ll be taking a close look at ways we can reduce waste and the principles behind waste reduction. Education is a vital part of this program—as is motivation and inspiration.

The Circular Economy

Today, we're looking at the Circular Economy.

To understand the Circular Economy, we must first look at the Linear Economy. The Linear Economy has been historically prevalent for much of the 20th century to today. Essentially, it's when a product is designed for convenience with little to no thought about the product's end use—like a plastic cup, that is used and disposed of; or raw material that is extracted, used and disposed of once the primary use is complete.

The Circular Economy aims to change that by creating products that are reused or reinvested in, over and over again. This differs from the concept of recycling in that, with the Circular Economy, the products’ reuse is considered during its manufacturing—the reuse is built-in from the start.

The Circular Economy also champions the concept of access over ownership. This concept is the same way a library, streaming service or car-share offers members access to their products, rather than outright ownership. By prioritizing access over ownership, the Circular Economy pushes the onus onto manufacturers to create longer-lasting products capable of being reused many times, rather than the single-end-use products to which so many of us are accustomed.

How Can I Support The Circular Economy?

  • Choose companies that offer access over ownership
  • Repair your existing products rather than replacing them
  • Choose products designed to be reused rather than disposed
  • Purchase products that utilize recycled materials

Waste Reduction Week in Canada Events:

Canadian zero-waste laundry brand Tru Earth is a proud supporter of Waste Reduction Week in Canada.

To join in the 2021 celebrations, Tru Earth will host an official Grand Opening of their Tru Earth Store at 3210 St. Johns Street, in Port Moody, BC.

Events are on from October 18 to 23 at their flagship store:

  • 15% off all purchases
  • Free giveaways with every purchase
  • Fun prize draws daily
  • Virgin Radio will be onsite October 23 for the official Grand Opening celebrations

Follow on Instagram to join the fun!

About Waste Reduction Week in Canada

This is the 20th year of Waste Reduction Week in Canada. While Canadian Waste Reduction and Recycling Weeks have been organized since the mid-1980s, in 2001, this national Waste Reduction Week program was formally implemented by the Circular Innovation Council. This program today has the support of many not-for-profit environmental groups as well as all provincial and territorial governments in Canada.

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