By Caitlin Perry
Did you know October is Circular Economy Month? It’s a public awareness campaign that educates Canadians about circular economy and how you can reduce waste, save money, build community, and take action on climate change. The previous article talked about how you can reduce plastic waste when ordering takeway food in Ottawa. This article focuses on ways to use our stuff for longer.
Share
By not purchasing things every single time you need it, you can save money and reduce clutter in your home. Share items with others in the community by renting or borrowing.
- Ottawa Public Library, 377 Rideau St
- Enterprise Rent A Car, 355 St. Patrick St
- Communauto
- Scooter rentals in the summer
- Ottawa Tool Library – while not located in Lowertown, the OTL is a great place to borrow tools that you only need once.
- Little libraries – have you spotted these in front of houses around Lowertown? You can share books with your neighbours for free!
- Simply reach out to a neighbour or friend to inquire about borrowing stuff.
Reuse
Have clothes that no longer fit? Want to shop thrift instead of buying new? Decluttering your home and want to keep items out of landfill? There are many great options in the community to giveaway, resell, exchange, and find something that is ‘new to you’.
- Lowertown/Byward Market Buy Nothing Facebook Group
- Smart Thrift, 242 Dalhousie St.
- Facebook Marketplace
- Adorit Vintage, 153 York St
- Freecycle.org
- Kijiji.ca
- Giveaway or exchange items with a friend or neighbour.
- Clothing donation: donations can be made to charities like Diabetes Canada, Salvation Army, or Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy. However there are no donation bins located in Lowertown. Residents can drop-off donations to stores or bins in neighboring communities or call the charity for a pick-up.
Repair
Need your suit altered? Have a rip in your favourite jeans? Or maybe your computer just crashed. Instead of replacing it with something new, consider visiting a local repair shop to have it fixed it. You’ll save money and extend the product’s lifespan for longer!
- Lynn’s Tailoring, 288 Dalhousie St., Suite 101
- Stitch It Clothing Alterations, Rideau Centre
- Bytown Shoe Repair, 341 Dalhousie St
- St. Brigids Alteration & Dry Cleaning, 302 St. Patrick St
- Mobile Klinik, Rideau Centre
- Fixia Computer, 203 Dalhousie Street
- L’HEXAGONE (suit alterations), 252 Dalhousie St
- Scooteretti (bike repairs and parts), 85 Murray St
- Snappy Techs (computer repair) 428 Rideau St
- Spark Auto (auto repair), 96 Nelson St
Want to learn more about how you can get involved in the circular economy this October and everyday? Visit CircularEconomyMonth.ca.