Spring into the Circular Economy: Upcycle and Recycle in your Seasonal Cleaning

Spring cleaning and the circular economy, what is it all about? As spring begins this week and ushers in a season of renewal, it’s the perfect time to rethink our cleaning habits through the lens of sustainability and climate change.

Today, we seek to inspire you to declutter and clean for the spring and to do so in a way that significantly reduces waste and conserves resources. A key proposal is to participate in the circular economy during your spring cleaning process.

Consumption of resources and the manufacturing of new goods has a significant Carbon Cost, so any way you can reduce, reuse, and recycle in your cleaning will help in the global efforts to forestall climate change.

In this post,  we’ll explore how upcycling and recycling can transform spring cleaning from a routine chore into a powerful act of environmental stewardship. In a follow-up piece next week, we’ll also offer a special section of ideas on how to reduce the growing problem of e-waste.

Understanding the Waste Problem

When we buy new stuff, a global supply chain of mining, petrochemicals, manufacturing, and shipping kicks into gear. Making stuff generates greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change, and a lot of them. About 24% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally come from industry, making everything from raw materials to manufactured goods like clothes, furniture, toys, and electronics. 

If you can buy less, emissions are reduced. Buying less can be enabled by using goods longer, buying used goods, and finding new users for goods you no longer need.  These are all elements of the circular economy.  The Ellen MacArthur Foundation offers a great primer and introduction video to describe the circular economy.

Meanwhile, spring cleaning is a time when households often identify stuff they no longer need.  Rather than throw it in the bin, those items can often find a new home with someone else, reducing their need to buy new ones. Keeping items in circulation in their original form is one of the most impactful things an individual can do to support a circular economy.

Spring is a great time to keep circular principles in mind. It is especially helpful to think about the life cycle of clothing and fashion.  When the weather starts changing, people often toss old garments and seek new ones to wear in the milder weather.  This is a time to think carefully about upcycling or repairing clothes or to use circular waste streams when you can no longer use them.  As always, it helps only to select and purchase durable new items that you will use regularly.  We discussed ideas for getting the most out of your clothing in a post from our series on the Carbon Cost of Christmas.

Decluttering Mindfully

Decluttering has become an art form and a huge business in recent years. Remember when Marie Kondo’s Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up was a best seller for years?  No matter whose process you use, we suggest separating items into categories like “give,” “sell,” “recycle,” and “upcycle” as you go through your spring cleaning as part of your sustainability efforts.

Give Away

There are many organisations or individuals who would welcome your lightly used items.

• Join our ‘Hand Me On Items’ WhatsApp Group if you’re local to north Oxfordshire. From unwanted furniture to children’s toys to craft supplies, this group is open to anyone interested in collecting or giving away free items. It is generally quite active goods tend to go quite quickly! We estimate that last year a few thousand items were directly redistributed through this group. Simply post an item and PM to arrange collection with interested community members. Note: While we facilitate the group, we cannot claim responsibility for group members’ behaviour. If you have a concern, please email us. Any inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated and offending group members will be removed.
• Olio – This free app works similarly to our Whatsapp Group. You can list either food or non-food items that you’d like to give away for free, and interested neighbours within a certain radius can arrange with you to collect it for free. You can also earn points and achieve new levels based on your waste-reducing impact.
• Facebook Marketplace – Use your facebook account to list items for free on facebook marketplace.
• Charity Shops
• Oxfam Superstore – accepts furniture donations

Sell

Spring cleaning can be an opportunity to make a few extra quid.  This is especially true for old electronics.  While we might not have any use for old computers, phones, or TVs, there are often others in the community who know how to upgrade and maintain old equipment, and what is worthless to you is worth something to them.  You’ll often find willing buyers for furniture and household items too. Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Gumtree are good places to start. If you are located in the area of Cherwell Collective,  there is a Craig’s List marketplace specific to Oxford and another one for Greater London. Daily Info is a great online second-hand market for items in Oxford.

Recycle

When an item has reached the end of its useful life, recycling helps its component materials to find a continued use in making new stuff, which reduces demand on the planet of continuing to manufacture  materials like metal, glass, plastic, and wood/pulp/paper. In this way, your efforts can support industrial circularity.

• Waste Wizard – This tool from Oxfordshire County Council should be your first stop if you’re local to our area and looking to recycle odds and ends! From old mattresses, to paint, or any other household item you can’t quite sell or give away, this incredible resource can let you know the best practice for disposing of it.
• In the UK, we have great resources to learn how and where we can recycle a wide array of items.  Check out Recycle Now if you live in England or Northern Ireland, or Wales Recycles or Zero Waste Scotland for more information in your home country.

Upcyle

Upcycling is a creative process of transforming by-products, waste materials, or unwanted items into new materials to prolong their use. This is another way in which you can support a circular economy by purchasing upcycled materials, passing on unwanted items to upcyclers, or even upcycling yourself . For endless resources and inspirations on how to upcycle, check out Upcycle That.

Keep Sustainable “Spring Cleaning” in Mind Year Round

Spring cleaning is more than a tradition; it’s an opportunity to contribute to a healthier planet. But these practices can also be used year round. By embracing upcycling and recycling, we can significantly reduce waste and promote sustainability. Let this spring be the start of a cleaner, greener lifestyle that extends far beyond the season.