Digital2030 is challenging YOUTH (7-22) to rethink how we can sustainably change our consumption and production habits in support of climate action.
In this Challenge, we will be focusing on SDG # 13: Climate Action and SDG #12: Sustainable Consumption and Production. The climate crisis is a crisis of overconsumption, and it is critical for us to rethink how we consume and produce to live sustainably and in harmony with the planet’s resources. We need to act fast!
Since intelligent life first evolved, Earth’s inhabitants have taken natural resources and manipulated them to meet their needs.
Starting out as hunter gatherers, humans lived in balance with the limits of nature, and reused their resources.
However, with rapid automation, industrialization, and changing consumer preferences for cheaper, more convenient and more sanitary choices, humans have begun to extract resources at a far quicker pace than the Earth can naturally replenish them.
It is the practice of taking resources, using energy to manufacture them, which generates emissions, and ultimately creating waste which can continue to harm nature.
Our current economic model often follows a "take, make, waste" cycle, depleting resources and creating pollution. The circular economy offers a more sustainable alternative. This graphic illustrates a closed-loop system where materials are kept in use for as long as possible. Let's break it down:
The circular economy starts with smart design. Products are built to last, be easily repaired, and potentially have multiple lives. Manufacturing aims to minimize waste and utilize recycled materials whenever possible.
Efficient distribution networks get products to consumers who use them responsibly. This might involve choosing durable options, extending lifespans through proper care, and participating in sharing economies like renting or borrowing.
When products reach their end-of-life, advanced recycling technologies turn them back into raw materials for new products. Even leftover waste can be converted into energy, minimizing true "waste" in the system.
Before throwing things away, the circular economy prioritizes giving them a second chance. Repairing broken items or finding new uses for old ones reduces reliance on new resources.
There is no one fixed definition of a circular economy, with different groups and organizations using different terms for different phases of the economy. We are using seven steps, or 7Rs here, as they encompass the whole cycle of circular economy practices.
For example: A mobile phone could be designed to be modular, therefore easier to replace parts when just one part is no longer working, such as Fairphone.
For example: Abandoned industrial buildings can be refurbished for public use, such as Toronto’s Distillery District or Montreal’s Technopôle Angus eco-district.
For example: Patagonia ran an advert in 2011 on Black Friday asking consumers not to buy a new jacket. Think: do you really need to buy something?
For example: Selling or giving away things no longer needed means they aren’t wasted, and a new item is not produced, like donating furniture to Furniture Bank.
For example: You can compost organic waste from the kitchen and garden to create a nutrient-rich addition for soil using guidelines from the Compost Council of Canada
For example: Communities are beginning to set up repair cafés, like one in Toronto, to help people mend their stuff, or teach them to do it themselves.
For example: Paper waste can be recycled into sustainable toilet paper, which must be a single use product. This reduces the need to cut down new trees.
Learn, play and become a sustainability pro!
Now that we’ve learned about the circular economy and the 7 Rs, it’s time to reflect on our consumption habits and explore sustainable choices that can positively impact our environment.
In this activity, you will encounter seven different scenarios. For each scenario, select the most appropriate R and discover the potential impact of your choice!
You’ve taken a significant step in understanding how your everyday choices can positively impact the environment and advance a circular economy. By reflecting on scenarios and exploring sustainable practices, you’ve seen how small changes can lead to meaningful outcomes.
Now, we invite you to take the next step: make a pledge to commit to taking sustainable action below to make a difference in our world!
IntuitiveAI leverages AI to automate waste sorting, boosting recycling efficiency, and reducing contamination rates.
Litterati motivates people to document litter, generating data to guide waste reduction strategies and promote business sustainability.
Recycleye uses AI robots for precise waste sorting, promoting circular economy practices with high-quality recyclable outputs.
Kathryn Kellog shares zero-waste living tips, with guides and challenges to help others adopt sustainable lifestyles.
Aditi Mayer, a sustainable fashion blogger and climate activist, champions ethical fashion practices.
Sarah Robertson Barnes advocates for sustainability by sharing tips on eco-living, conscious consumerism, waste reduction, and climate action
OLIO connects neighbors and local businesses to share surplus food, reducing waste and promoting community-driven sustainable consumption.
An app that helps users make informed purchases by scanning barcodes and revealing company practices, promoting refusal of unsustainable products.
A community-based app for trading goods and services without using money, encouraging reuse of items.
