Recycling is reported throughout human history but has come a long way since...

Circular Economy Platform 2 years ago

Recycling is reported throughout human history but has come a long way since the time when humans reused broken tools and pottery when materials were scarce. . May 17 marks World Recycling Day, officially declared by UNESCO, and aimed at raising awareness on the importance of recycling as a tool for proper waste management and to paliate climate change. . But what is recycling? Recycling is understood as the mechanism through which a certain material is processed to later give it a new use. In this way, we put that material back into operation and prevent it from becoming waste. . Glass, paper, metal and plastic are recyclable materials and there are numerous specialized entities in charge of processing this type of waste. . Reduce and reuse before recycling Before recycling, we should consider reducing and reusing. After all, the purpose remains the same: making the most of resources and reducing waste. . We can reduce our waste by shopping mindfully, trying to find unpacked goods or products with a biodegradable packaging. It is key to reduce plastic packaging, as plastic waste is currently the biggest pollution problem we are facing. . Simple actions such as using tote bags or buying unpacked products can make a huge difference. But there’s also a lot we can do by reusing materials. We can give written paper a new use, by using it to take notes, or reuse plastic containers to give them a new use at home. . More about Circular Economy Platform of the Americas visit: www.circulareconomyplatform.org . Building a Circular Conscious Continent 🌱 #workersday2022 #diadeltrabajador2022 . #circulareconomy #economíacircular #economiacircular #inclusiveeconomy #circulareconomyplatform #circulareconomyforum #foroeconomiacircular #cefa2017 #cefa2018 #cefa2019 #arubatv #aruba #cepamericas #zerowaste #sustainabledevelopment #desarollosostenible #cradletocradle #c2c #blueeconomy #biomimicry #closedloopcycleproduction #ecodesign #upcycle #sustainabledesign #cefaV

layersDaily Sustainability Digest

Published about 8 hours ago



The UK’s acceleration toward *sustainable construction* underscores a decisive shift from ambition to delivery. National Grid ESO’s reforms to the grid connection process remove zombie projects and prioritise actionable, low carbon design ready to unlock billions in clean energy infrastructure. This structural change supports *green infrastructure* essential to *decarbonising the built environment*, linking energy planning with *sustainable building practices* that address both whole life carbon and embodied carbon impacts through rigorous whole life carbon assessment.

Offshore wind’s expansion, now generating nearly one-fifth of Britain’s electricity, highlights how *environmental sustainability in construction* relies on scalable, *eco-friendly construction* solutions. The developing offshore supply chain demands *sustainable building design* that integrates *circular economy in construction* strategies and *resource efficiency in construction*, enabling the transition towards *net zero carbon buildings* and *net zero whole life carbon* performance.

While material innovation remains subdued, the rise of energy-efficiency retrofits reflects a shift towards life cycle cost optimisation and *building lifecycle performance* over short-term gain. Firms such as Mapei point to recovery driven by energy-efficient buildings and *low embodied carbon materials*, reinforcing the value of *eco-design for buildings* and *sustainable material specification* guided by *environmental product declarations (EPDs)*. These principles strengthen the circular economy ethos and advance *carbon footprint reduction* across every project stage, from design to *end-of-life reuse in construction*.

Africa’s emerging solar market signals global diversification of *green construction*, with the continent expected to become a testbed for *low carbon building* strategies suited to extreme climates. The transition invites adoption of *circular construction strategies*, *renewable building materials*, and *sustainable urban development* underpinned by *life cycle thinking in construction*.

The alignment of policy reform, financial investment, and technical capability confirms that *sustainable design* has become core to delivering *carbon neutral construction* and reducing the *carbon footprint of construction* worldwide. The era of incremental action is ending—the new metric of success is measurable whole life carbon performance and resilient, *green building materials* innovation delivering true *sustainability* in the built environment.

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