There’s a new movement on its way and it’s taking the business world by storm. It’s called the circular economy and it means fewer natural resources are used, and therefore companies’ carbon footprints are getting smaller.

In most cases this happens through:

• Recycling more
• Repurposing items
• Optimizing maintenance so assets last longer
• Repairing components rather than throwing them away
• One company’s waste can be another company’s primary resource

Now, wouldn’t it be beneficial if households can join in this movement? Thanks to modern technology, a few innovations and living wiser, it’s certainly possible.

Which of these tips will you start implementing in your home?

Declutter and Reuse

Decluttering is a popular word whether you’re renovating, moving house or simply changing your lifestyle. But what do you do with what you’ve found in the cupboard?

People’s first instincts are simply to throw away. It can be quite liberating. But this is where you can become part of the circular economy. You need to copy the actions of what some businesses are doing:

• Reuse: Some people pair decluttering with shopping to add a new look to the home. But what about reusing items after sprucing them up?
• Recycle: Go through the clutter and make sure what you can deposit at your local recycling center. They’ll make new items from your old ones, making you part of an important circular economy cycle.
• Resell: Perhaps what you don’t need is what someone else is shopping for. Minimize the need for manufacturing more electronics, furniture and home items by selling your clutter to other households.

Getting Off the Grid

A major focus of the circular economy is to minimize the need for natural resources to be destroyed. You can limit your carbon footprint by using less water and using alternative power sources such as solar panels.

Saving natural resources doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are how innovative gadgets can help you:

• Smart homes monitor temperature so air conditioning adjusts to the need, saving energy.
• Tap fittings can increase pressure while saving water.
• Energy saving features such as auto shut off limits power usage.

Repair, Don’t Replace

Yes, of course you want your home to function optimally. Unfortunately, all too easily homeowners take out perfectly viable components instead of simply repairing them properly.

Here, the fault also lies with service providers. They prefer replacements to repairs, since they make money on supplying the new items. Therefore they won’t promote the option of repairs.

The truth: many units can be repaired these days, for example using pipe rehabilitation packers on your plumbing rather than renovating the entire infrastructure. Or an advanced diagnostic system can pinpoint the exact problem in your car’s engine instead of you replacing the whole thing.

Do you see how easy unnecessary waste takes place? Next time do proper research and choose to employ a business you know is focused on green living.

Will these steps really make a difference? If we all work together a community can quickly change its carbon footprint. Will you be the one that sparks a movement by inspiring your neighbors?