For decades, Circular Innovation Council has engaged Canadians from coast to coast to coast to better understand the issues of waste and the opportunities they have to accelerate our transition to a circular economy.
Launched in 2001, the Waste Reduction Week in Canada campaign has become the marque educational program engaging and empowering Canadians from all corners of the country; youth, educators, policy makers, businesses and communities. Starting with a focus on recycling, it has transformed into Canada’s largest waste reduction public awareness campaign that educates, promotes, and celebrates individual and collective environmental efforts and achievements while encouraging new and innovative ideas.
Every year the momentum is strong throughout the entire month of October as organizations, communities, and schools across Canada celebrate through social media, events, and initiatives, and learning about the seven program themes.
Introducing Circular Economy Month
Reduce, reuse, and recycle have become everyday terms and are the foundation to environmental education. Small individual changes like refusing a plastic straw, swapping a single-use coffee cup for a reusable mug, or placing recyclables in the correct bin are now second nature to many Canadians. While these small everyday behaviour changes are critical – today’s climate and advancing the circular economy requires bigger, broader, and bolder changes.
For 20 years Waste Reduction Week in Canada has focused on the concepts of waste reduction and recycling as a key component of our transition to a circular economy. However, educating Canadians on this new model of consumption involves more than just one week. That’s why Circular Innovation Council is extending Waste Reduction Week in Canada beyond the third week of October into Circular Economy Month to educate and excite Canadians about the opportunities and benefits of the circular economy.
Circular Economy Month features a new brand that will be used alongside the Waste Reduction Week in Canada logo this year. Participants are welcome to use both logos in communications promoting the campaign, in compliance with our guidelines.
Program Themes
The third week of October will continue as Waste Reduction Week, upholding tradition of focusing on our daily themes related to specific waste streams and the waste reduction component of a circular economy. The remainder of the month will focus on introducing the concept of circular economy and amplifying its broader social, environmental, and economic benefits, communicating a different theme each week.
Getting Involved
Organizations, schools, communities, and individuals can engage with Circular Economy Month in the same way as Waste Reduction Week – but celebrated all month long!
Social Media
Plan social media campaigns October, aligning with our program themes. The official program hashtags are #CircularEconomyMonth and #WasteReductionWeek (third week of October).
Resources
Download and share our resources that promote the campaign and educate about the circular economy (promotional and educational materials are made available to participants throughout the summer).
Proclaim Circular Economy Month
Declare October 1-31 as Circular Economy Month as a municipality, organization, or school.
Plan an Event
Engage your workplace, community, or school in the circular economy by planning an event. Popular events include swaps, material collection drives, repair cafes, documentary screenings, clean-ups and more.
Light a Local Landmark
Help raise awareness about the circular economy by lighting a local building or landmark blue or green.
About Circular Innovation Council
Circular Innovation Council – originally established as Recycling Council of Ontario in 1978 – believes solutions for greater resource efficiency is to advance the circular economy, which decouples economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. By putting circular economy concepts into action through collaboration and inclusion we discover solutions through circular business models that design waste out of production and consumption.
History of Waste Reduction Week
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.