Have you ever wondered how long does it take the Earth to regenerate what we consume in a year? The answer is 1.5 years [1]. This is because most things we have are not designed to be used beyond their lifespan, since they follow a linear cycle of production, consumption, and disposal. But there is a solution! Circular economy seeks to give products a second use instead of throwing them away.
What can you do in your daily life to implement this principle? To make it easy, you can focus on each space of your home and think about what changes you can make to have less single use products. For example, we use many polluting materials in the kitchen. Plastics, from packaging that come with food to bottles of dish soap, if they are not recycled or reused, can affect the quality of air, soil, water, and the organisms that live in them [2]. Something you can do is, instead of using plastic wrap, use beeswax wraps, which are reusable and biodegradable. Another option is having a compost bin at home to transform your organic waste into nutrient-rich soil for your garden.
You can also make some changes in your wardrobe to reduce your environmental impact. You can start by taking into account the production process and materials used in the products you buy. For example, instead of buying clothes made of synthetic fibers, opt for pieces made with natural fibers such as organic cotton or linen. These fibers are easier to recycle or compost in case the garment is not suitable for recycling. Also, look for single-material composition pieces, that is, made with just one material family or materials that can be recycled together, which makes them easier to recycle. To read more about initiatives of circular fashion, you can read our article here.
These are just a few examples! With a bit of creativity, you can find ways to implement circular fashion in every aspect of your life. From choosing sustainable cleaning products to looking for more environmentally friendly types of transport. Let's make the change together and adopt a circular economy focus on our daily lives!
References:
[1] Ngai Weng, C. (2012). Sustainable Urban Development Textbook. In N. Weng Chang, H. Imura, A. Nakamura, & M. Ao (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Housing and Home (Issue October, pp. 49–58). Water Watch Penang. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-047163-1.00601-9
[2] Okunola A, A., Kehinde I, O., Oluwaseun, A., & Olufiropo E, A. (2019). Public and Environmental Health Effects of Plastic Wastes Disposal: A Review. Journal of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.23937/2572-4061.1510021