In their 2008 progress report, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environmental Development defined the circular economy as " a generic term for the reducing, reusing and recycling activities conducted in the process of production, circulation, and consumption " (CCICED, 2008). In the 1990s, the term "Circular Economy" was popularized in China, stemming from rapid economic growth and subsequent strain on the country's natural resources. The principle of a circular economy is to capitalize on the recycling/reuse of raw materials while balancing natural resource use with economic growth. Although definitions of circular economy are relatively modern, the fundamentals of the circular economy have been around since before the industrial revolution.   Examples of a circular economy in Ottawa are second-hand stores such as Value Village. The role of thrift stores in promoting reuse is essential. Buying clothing second-hand is an efficient way to pr...

 August 30th is the first and biggest pop-up  Free Store of the year. I guess the best way to explain it is like this... imagine your birthday and Christmas decided to have a coffee date, at the end of the summer, under a giant tent, just before you started your university semester... that's basically what this event is. Now whether you have been to the Free Store before or if you have never been to the Free Store, it is absolutely worth coming out to this event. Here's why... More stuff You will see more things at this event than you normally get to see at the Free Store. The event is being held under the tent in front of FSS specifically so that we can accommodate more people. At the Free Store, we can usually have about 20-30 people max inside the space at any given time. Last year when we hosted this event, we had hundreds of people at the event at any given time. We estimate over 2,000 people attended and over 5,000 kilograms of stuff was given away. More...

A three-part series brought to you by us, sharing note-worthy tips and tricks on shopping smart, reducing your textile waste footprint PLUS, how to find sustainable brands! Unfortunately, the fashion industry was not built by green thumbs.  Planetaid.org reports that “clothes can take up to 40 years to decompose.” We are taught to buy anything and everything we might need, which results in over-consumption. So let’s prevent things from piling up! If clutter, wasted money, and outdated clothing describes your current situation, then stay tuned! DO YOUR RESEARCH Research the companies you’re going to shop from. Know what their values are as a corporation in order to support ethical practices . Most major clothing brands are starting to develop collections that have “sustainable”characteristics - but don’t be fooled, major clothing brands like these are still considered “fast fashion” companies, most likely still partake in unethical behaviours such as sweatshops and unfai...

The well-worn, Madmen-esque marketing mantra that "sex sells" may still hold up, but a new wave of conscious consumerism has folks many reaching for benefit-corporation over bikini-clad and eco-products over easy prices. But why can't we have both? Who wouldn't want to look hot, fun, beautiful, trendy, cool, sexy etc.  and still do better for the planet and its people? What is known as "fast fashion" is a complex and frightening issue in which the hottest trends are made to appear to come and go so quickly that consumers feel the need to buy more and more with little regard for the environmental and ethical impact of the industry. Fashion is the third most polluting industry in the world, and the second largest consumer of water. Around 13 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills each year. Furthermore, the hazardous production and manufacture process  is horrible for water systems, agriculture and even your own health. Plus, the push for fa...