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Circular Economy Month and Waste Reduction Week in Canada
October 2023
Circular Economy Month in Canada is dedicated to educating and engaging Canadians on building a circular economy.
Extending Waste Reduction Week in Canada — the country’s most successful waste reduction public awareness campaign engaging Canadians each year since 2001 — beyond the third week of October, Circular Economy Month raises awareness about the benefits of circular economy and celebrates circular innovations.
Over the next four weeks, let's learn about the circular economy, celebrate our individual and collective efforts, embrace circular solutions, and encourage everyone to take action. For more information and to learn how to get involved, visit the Circular Innovation Council's website.
This webpage is available until the end of October and is full of interesting facts and fun activities for you and your family. Although Waste Reduction Week is October 16 - 22, you can explore this webpage at your own pace. Learn something new, have fun, and reduce your environmental impact!
| History | ||
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Waste Reduction and Recycling Weeks in Canada started in the mid-1980s, when a number of recycling councils and environmental organizations began holding provincial events. In 2001, the national Waste Reduction Week program was formalized by Circular Innovation Council (formerly Recycling Council of Ontario) who now leads the national campaign with support from a coalition of not-for-profit environmental groups and governments from each of the 13 provincial and territorial jurisdictions across Canada. In October 2022 we celebrated Canada's first-ever public awareness month dedicated to educating and engaging Canadians on building a circular economy. Over four weeks each year going forward, we invite Canadians to learn about the circular economy, celebrate our individual and collective efforts, embrace circular solutions, and encourage others to take action.
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Weekly Themes
The third week of October continues as Waste Reduction Week in Canada, upholding the tradition of focusing on past daily themes related to specific waste streams and the waste reduction component of a circular economy. Throughout each week in October the Circular Innovation Council will add content related to that week's theme.
| Week 1: Introducing the Circular Economy |
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The circular economy goes far beyond finding a recycling solution at end-of-life. Circularity incorporates better design that consumes less raw material during production, maximizes value during use, and improves products and services that are intended to eliminate waste. The circular economy is based on three principles, driven by design:
How can Canadians advance our circular economy? Purchase smartly designed products meant to be reused, refurbished, and dismantled. Support companies that will lease or rent their products and offer to take them back for recycling after use.
For an excellent overview of the Circular Economy and the power of consumers to impact the Circular Economy, read this article from Sustainable Biz interviewing Jo-Anne St. Godard, Executive Director at the Circular Innovation Council.
For more information visit: Introducing the Circular Economy | What is a Circular Economy
  Circularity incorporates better design that consumes less raw material during production, maximizes value during use, and improves products and services that are intended to eliminate waste. A circular economy ultimately moves beyond a traditionally linear approach to create a more sustainable, longer-lasting and higher-value system of use. |
| Week 2: Environmental Benefits |
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| Week 3: Waste Reduction Week in Canada |
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Waste Reduction Week in Canada is a time for Canadians to take action and adopt more environmentally conscious choices. During Waste Reduction Week, let's celebrate our environmental efforts and achievements, and encourage new innovative ideas and solutions to the world's environmental problems. |
| Week 4: Social and Economic Benefits |
 In addition to protecting and conserving natural resources, the Circular Economy has social and economic benefits, including encouraging innovation, creating jobs, driving local economy, and engaging the community. Learn about opportunities and steps you can take to live a more circular lifestyle. |
Week 3: Waste Reduction Week Daily Themes
Waste Reduction Week in Canada is structured into seven themes. Each day focuses one a different theme intended to encourage discussion, promote achievements, and celebrate achievements and goals in each area.
Each day of Waste Reduction Week is presented through the lens of its contribution to advancing a Circular Economy. Each theme has its own story to tell and provides an opportunity to learn about the Circular Economy in a variety of ways.
The week kicks-off by introducing the Circular Economy and celebrating broader Circular Economy initiatives and concepts. Then each day focuses on a different waste management issues and material stream: textiles, e-waste, plastics, and food waste. On the weekend, Canadians are encouraged to find opportunities to extend the life of products and materials through the sharing economy, swapping, and repairing. Champions and innovators of each theme are celebrated throughout the week and year.
For More Information on Waste Reduction Week's Daily Themes click on the icons below!
Waste Reduction Week at the Wellington County Museum and Archives
To kick off Waste Reduction Week, the Wellington County Museum will be lit up blue and green in the evenings starting Monday, October 16. Be sure to check it out!
Wellington County Museum and Archives, 0536 Wellington Rd 18, Fergus ON, N1M 2W3
We hope you enjoyed learning about waste reduction and the circular economy. We challenge you to try to reduce your waste every day as best you can, using some of the things you learned this month. We will see you again next year for the Circular Economy Month and Waste Reduction Week in Canada 2024!
