Why this matters now
The way we live has followed the same model for a long time: take resources, make products, and eventually throw them away. This “take–make–waste” approach no longer works — not for the environment, not for our wallets, and especially not for small communities like ours.
Costs are rising, resources feel more uncertain, and it often seems like local skills and businesses are being left behind. But there is another way forward — one that many communities around the world are already exploring. It’s called the circular economy, and it’s about creating systems that last.
For us, circular economy isn’t an abstract policy or a buzzword. It’s a practical way to keep money, skills, and materials in our community while building resilience for the future.
What is a Circular Economy?
At its core, the circular economy is simple. Instead of using things once and tossing them, we find ways to reuse, repair, share, and repurpose.
- A broken chair doesn’t go to the dump — it’s fixed by a local repairer.
- Kitchen scraps don’t become waste — they become compost for gardens.
- Water isn’t only used once — it’s stored in a rain tote or cycled through greywater systems.
Every step keeps value circulating here, instead of leaking out. That’s why the word circular matters: it’s about closing the loop so nothing is wasted.
“Our Repair Café events already show how repair keeps value circulating locally.”
Why it matters for a small community
For small towns like ours, the circular economy isn’t just about protecting the environment — it’s about economic survival and independence.
Here’s how:
- Economic resilience: When we buy everything from outside, our money leaves town quickly. This is called retail drift — the slow movement of dollars away from local shops and services, toward large chain stores or distant suppliers. Once money leaves, it rarely comes back. A circular economy reduces this drift by keeping spending and value local.
- Support for local businesses: Circular practices rely on local repair shops, makers, tradespeople, and service providers. A broken tool fixed here puts money in a neighbour’s pocket, not a corporation’s.
- Community identity: Circular practices remind us we’re not just consumers — we’re builders, fixers, growers, and sharers. That builds pride and a sense of ownership over our future.
- Environmental gain: Less waste in landfills, less pressure on resources, and more stewardship of what we already have.
Benefits now and in the long term
The benefits of a circular economy can be felt right away:
- Lower costs when we repair or reuse instead of buying new.
- Less garbage to pay for at the landfill.
- A stronger sense of community as people share skills and resources.
But the long-term gains are even more important:
- Green jobs in repair, reuse, and local production.
- Resource security when we know how to stretch what we already have.
- Adaptation to a changing climate and global economy by building resilience here at home.
This isn’t just about saving the planet — it’s about creating a better life right where we live.
How to start a circular economy locally
So how does a small community move toward circular economy thinking? It doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, many of the steps are already underway here:
- Repair and reuse: Expand Repair Café events, tool libraries, and community swap days. Keep usable goods out of the landfill and in circulation.
- Resource loops: Capture rainwater in totes, explore safe greywater reuse, and compost food scraps locally. Every loop closed reduces waste and builds resilience.
“Water doesn’t have to be single-use — our Rain Tote Program is a perfect example of circular water use.”
- Support local first: Choose to repair with a local business before replacing at a chain store. That choice slows retail drift and strengthens the local economy.
- Mentorship: Pass along fixing, growing, and making skills. The more knowledge we keep in the community, the less we depend on outside solutions.
“As we shared in our Mentorship for Sustainability post, passing down skills is a cornerstone of a circular community.”
Small steps, taken together, create a cultural shift.
A call to action
Circular economy thinking doesn’t start with policy documents or international agreements. It starts in our homes, backyards, and shops. Every time we decide to repair instead of discard, to compost instead of trash, or to buy from a local service instead of sending money away, we’re choosing a circular path.
And every one of those choices adds up. They reduce retail drift, support neighbours, and make our community more resilient to whatever the future holds.
Closing
By choosing circular pathways, we aren’t just saving resources — we’re building a stronger, more connected, and future-ready community. Every tote installed, every tool repaired, every skill passed down is part of that story.
🌱 Sustainability grows when we share it. Every time we pass on a skill or a story, we’re planting seeds for a resilient tomorrow.
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