Susan Stewart on reuse, repair, recycling and more…
On my way to the Circular Communities Scotland conference recently, I was excited hear more about the work being done in the sector to help the environment.
With a collection for unused tech devices under our belts and a clothes swap in the pipeline, what more could SCVO and our climate crisis group be doing to help the environment?
I learnt just how wide the circular economy is, re-using and recycling everything from food to theatre scenery and construction materials and while this all has huge environmental benefits, it starts with empowering communities and creating community wealth.
Most importantly I learned it starts with people. This was the statement from Jane Devine, chief executive of Four Square, an Edinburgh charity supporting people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless, with the mission statement “at Four Square we believe everyone deserves a beautiful home and a place in their community.”
Each year its Edinburgh Furniture Initiative diverts 27,500-plus items of furniture a year from landfill and generated £1.4 million of income in 2023/2024.
This income helped fund its services supporting people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, and providing them with volunteering, training and employment opportunities.
Its commitment to running the organisation to benefit people and the environment means it is now a People and Planet First Verified Enterprise.
Sam Moir, Prevention and Reuse Manager at Zero Waste Scotland and founder of Merry go Round Glasgow told us about her Churchill Fellowship around the USA, visiting reuse enterprises which are delivered at much larger scale to those seen in Scotland.
We heard stories of worn workwear that used to be sent for textile recycling is now flying off the shelves as distressed clothing, a great step forward when you consider the environmental damage caused by the production of pre distressed clothing. Sam told us upscaling re-use will need a shift in consumer perceptions but as the indoor smoking ban in Scotland demonstrates, large scale behaviour change can happen!
Next came the subject which questioned my personal contribution to circular communities and wealth. Do companies with like Vinted and eBay take away from local economies? Suddenly I didn’t feel quite so conscious and ethical in my Vinted top.
Charity shops have seen a decline in the quality and amount of donations since the rise of clothing resale sites but earlier this year Oxfam became the first charity to partner with Vinted, so perhaps these are just the steps we need to normalise re-use, repair and recycling in our society.
If you’d like to find out more about reuse, repair and recycling organisations in your area check out the Circular Communities Member Map.
Susan Stewart is sales and marketing officer for Goodmoves and a member of SCVO's Climate Crisis Working Group.
