Ah, wait - did you think we were describing ourselves in our current situation? That would make sense. Whether it's the news about the climate emergency, crises in various countries around the world, financial concerns .... our heads are indeed spinning.
Gosh, we've all got a lot going on.
Let’s just take a moment to breathe ………..
Actually we are trying to banish the circle of thoughts chasing each other inside our heads and think of an altogether better circle. We are thinking of the Circular Economy.
It's something we talk about quite a lot. A circular economy is just as it sounds, things going round and round and round, in a very sustainable way. A circular economy designs out waste and pollution, keeps products and materials in use and regenerates natural systems.
How often have we spoken about reusing items, whether that's
· donating to, and taking second hand clothes from, the Wardrobe
· re-purposing wellies as plant pots and penholders
· putting our tealeaves and potato peelings into the compost bin
· upcycling clothing to make beautiful objects to sell in the Wardrobe
And avoiding waste? We give you the Community Fridge.
That's the circular economy, albeit on a small scale.
As individuals we are doing our bit, but we now need businesses to get on board.
And don't think that's not going to happen. Remember, we individuals have a lot of influence here. We can choose which businesses we want to buy from, which services we want to use and we can make those decisions by checking out their green credentials.
Those of you who run your own business have probably already put some thought into this. We hope you are highlighting what you are doing to help the planet in your websites and social media posts. Make it easier for people to get this information and more people will start using it in a positive way. It's a win for the planet and a win for your business.
What about the Right to Repair?
You've probably hear of this. Yes, we have had the Right to Repair enshrined in our law since 2021, a law that is designed to eradicate planned obsolescence and make it easier for us to repair our own goods, rather than being obliged to send them back to the manufacturer, who will very often choose to provide a replacement rather than fixing the original, but there's is some way to go.
We all know that the products we use every day are getting harder and harder to fix. Very often it is impossible even to open up a device. Software and hardware are ever more entwined, the number of household appliances giving up the ghost after just a few years is skyrocketing. These items are definitely not being designed to stay within the circular economy. They are falling out of the circle far too quickly and far too often.
You'll probably not be surprised to know that electrical waste (E-waste) is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world.
Legislators around the world are looking at how to tackle this issue. We know they have a lot of pressing issues, but if any of them are reading this - could we ask you to get a move on please!
As the law currently stands, manufacturers are required to make spare parts available to consumers and third-party companies, with the aim of extending the life cycle of a range of devices and appliances by up to 10 years. Don't you think it is a bit odd, though, that only certain items are covered by this law? You can be confident if you are buying a dishwasher, washing machine or television that you will be able to get it repaired, but smart phones and laptops are not included. Neither are cookers, microwaves or tumble dryers.
Is there anything we can do? Yes! There's always something we can do.
The Restart Project, a charity that helps people learn how to repair their broken electronics and re-think how they consume them in the first place, has a petition for the real Right to Repair (remember, there’s still a long way to go).
There’s something you could do to help the planet this very moment that will take less than a minute of your time. You could sign the petition right now.
https://therestartproject.org/petition-right-to-repair/
If all this has whetted your appetite, Zero Waste Scotland is, as always, a great resource for anyone who wants to find out more about the circular economy.
https://ceaccelerator.zerowastescotland.org.uk