Circular Economy Month marked by community in creative ways

Town supported repair cafe, community cleanup, and textile and e-waste collection

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Caledon took steps to support a circular economy this month. 

October is Circular Economy Month, an initiative started in 2022 by the Circular Innovation Council. 

According to the Council, a circular economy is one that minimizes waste and makes the most of the earth's resources. It encourages the creation of products that last longer, can be fixed and reused, and can be deconstructed into their original parts. 

This differs from our current linear economy, which the Council describes as “take, make, waste”.

One of the things Caledon did to promote this idea was host textile and e-waste collection at the Caledon East Community Complex. This was done in partnership with Diabetes Canada and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

Kyle Rous, a Climate Change, Energy and Environment Coordinator for the Town of Caledon, said it was important for the town to support initiatives that divert waste from landfills. 

Another initiative the Town supported was a repair cafe it co-hosted with ecoCaledon. It took place at the Humber River Centre, which itself is an eco-friendly building. All heating and cooling in the building is electric so it has a low carbon footprint.

Rous said the repair cafe was all about giving everyday objects a second chance when they break down instead of just throwing them out. The cafe was a big success, and many people brought in items like clothes and electronics for repair. 

Rous himself brought in a microwave that he thought was done for, and to his amazement the “fixers” at the repair cafe had it up and running in 20 minutes.

“It's nice to see people moving away from the culture of getting rid of things,” said Rous. 

On October 26, the Town hosted a community cleanup at R.J.A. Potts Memorial Park in Bolton in partnership with ecoCaledon and the Region of Peel.

Rous said the town is always looking for ways it can reduce waste and lower its carbon footprint. Some examples include its moving away from single-use plastics and its no-idling policy on town properties. 

Rous said the Circular Innovation Council deserves recognition for all the amazing work it's doing.

He also noted that Caledon's climate change, energy and environment team is always looking to hear from residents with ideas and suggestions. The team can be reached by email at environment@caledon.ca.