Think circular, this Earth Day.
JOBURG – As we celebrate Earth Day today, we are encouraged to think ‘circular’ and to reduce waste to keep the Earth greener and cleaner.
Thinking circular means avoiding activities that cause damage to human health and the environment. This includes avoiding activities that emit greenhouse gases and hazardous substances, the pollution of air, land, and water, as well as structural waste.
Dr Lize Barclay, senior lecturer in systems thinking and future studies at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) urges all to think and live circular on Earth Day and every other day.
“Our clothes, stationery, cars, household products, houses and offices are filled with plastic and other products that we will either attempt to recycle or eventually discard. The pollution caused in the air, water and on land by that which we throw away, as well as the manufacturing processes of these products, are moving us closer and closer to the crossing of all the nine planetary boundaries. After the full breach, the earth systems will no longer be able to thrive, also threatening humanity in the process.”
Circular design products and services are created in an aim to minimise the use of non-renewable resources and to reduce waste products. It allows systems where individuals can reuse, repair, refurbish and recycle their day today products such as shampoo bottles, plastic bags and straws.
According to Bea Johnson’s book, Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste each and every household should aspire for the 5Rs which are to:
- Refuse what you do not need
- Reduce what you do need
- Reuse what you consume
- Recycle only what you cannot refuse, reduce or reuse
- Rot (compost) the rest of your waste.
