European Week for Waste Reduction
The European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) is the biggest campaign to raise awareness about waste prevention in Europe. Driven by local and regional public authorities, we bring together all sorts of other actors — citizens, schools, businesses, NGOs, associations — who organise activities to raise awareness about waste reduction.
The Week, as we otherwise call it, is just that — a week in November; normally the penultimate or last week of the month. What makes it special are the efforts and passion invested by the thousands and thousands of volunteers who spread the word about sustainable consumption and circular economy in their communities.
What are the EWWR’s objectives?- to raise awareness about waste reduction, product reuse and material recycling strategies, and related European Union and Member States policies,
- to highlight the work accomplished by EWWR participants,
- to mobilise and encourage European citizens to concentrate on four key action themes,
- to reinforce EWWR stakeholders’ capacities by providing them with targeted communication tools and training.
The actions carried out under the EWWR address the 3Rs: Reducing waste, Reusing products, Recycling materials — in this order. These are the main Rs (though there are many others) to have in mind when reevaluating consumption habits.It is no coincidence that the 3Rs are at the top of the waste hierarchy, because the EWWR bases its activity precisely on this hierarchy. In practice, this is how the waste hierarchy should inform personal (or organisational) decisions:
Reduce: ask yourselves whether you really need the goods you are about to buy before buying them. That also goes for the packaging in which some products come as well. Can you perhaps repurpose things or borrow from a friend or fix broken objects or share a neighbour’s tools? If the answer is yes, then you can — and should — REDUCE.
Reuse: this is the part where conscientious consumers can really make the difference. Swap single-use items for reusable ones in every area of your life! That’s the case not only for plastic, but for all other single-use items and products! Convince your employer, classmates, family, friends, or neighbours to do the same!
Recycling: is better than landfilling, but it’s not our preferred option. Why? If you need to recycle something, it means that you’re already generating waste. If you’re serious about reusing and reducing, recycling should only constitute a small part of your efforts.
