The Circular Economy: How Reusables are Helping to Close the Loop in the Takeaway Space
The global economy has long been based on a linear model: take, make, use, and dispose. Resources are extracted, processed into products, and then discarded as waste, often ending up in landfills or polluting our environment. This model is unsustainable and poses a significant threat to our planet's health and well-being. However, there’s a new model - the circular economy. Moving to a circular economy can help us conserve resources and drastically reduce waste. In fact, in a perfectly circular system there is no waste! Just like in nature. Reusables play a vital role in this transition, helping to close the loop and create a more sustainable future.
What is the circular economy?
The circular economy is a system that is regenerative and restorative by design. It aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible, extracting the maximum value from them while in use and then recovering and regenerating products and materials at the end of their service life. The circular economy is based on three principles: designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.
How do reusables fit into the circular economy?
Reusables, along with renting, repairing and as a last resort recycling, are essential components of the circular economy. Reusing helps to keep products and materials in use for longer by replacing single-use items that are discarded after a single use.
The benefits of reusables in the circular economy
Using reusables has several benefits in the circular economy, including:
Reducing waste: Reusables help to reduce the amount of waste produced at the source, by replacing single-use items with products that can be used multiple times.
Conserving resources: By using products multiple times, we can conserve natural resources and reduce the need for new materials.
Saving money: While reusable products may have a higher upfront cost, they can save money in the long run by reducing the need to buy disposable products.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions: The production of disposable products, such as single-use plastics, requires energy and resources and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. By using reusables, we can reduce the carbon footprint of our daily lives.
With devolver, we have created a closed-loop system, where products are not only designed to be reused instead of being disposed, but also shared between users - saving money, waste and resources and connecting people and businesses. We stand for collaborative, convenient, community-centred circularity. Our containers will withstand upwards of 500 uses and at the end of their useful life are fully recyclable.
Summary: Closing the loop with reusables in takeaway
The circular economy is an important shift away from the linear model of take, make, use, and dispose. Reusables play a crucial role in this transition by replacing single-use items with products that can be used multiple times. By using reusables as part of a closed-loop system, where products are designed to last instead of being discarded, and communities connected, we can move towards a responsible, considered way of doing takeaway. Perhaps most importantly, a thriving reuse economy in the hospitality space will lead to ripple effects & impacts far greater than the environmental benefits of just replacing single use takeaway cups and containers - it will show that a shift towards a circular economy is both practically possible and transformative for our society as a whole. This shift will require changes in behavior, but the benefits are clear: reduced waste, conserved resources, and a healthier planet for future generations.
