What is a circular economy and how can households participate?. Explains the core principles of designing out waste, keeping products in use, and regenerating nature. Offers practical, everyday actions families can adopt.

A circular economy is an approach to making and using goods that reduces waste and keeps materials useful for as long as possible. Instead of the “take, make, throw away” pattern, it focuses on three principles:

• Design out waste and pollution: choose durable, repairable products and avoid unnecessary packaging.
• Keep products and materials in use: maintain, reuse, share, repair, refurbish, and recycle them.
• Regenerate nature: support practices that restore natural systems, such as composting food scraps and choosing sustainably produced goods.

Households can put these ideas into practice by:

• Buying only what they need; choosing durable, refillable, second-hand, or minimally packaged items.
• Borrowing or sharing occasional-use items, such as tools or party supplies.
• Repairing clothes and appliances, and donating or reselling usable goods.
• Planning meals, storing food well, and composting suitable scraps to reduce food waste.
• Reusing containers and bags, then sorting recycling according to local rules.

Recycling helps, but it is usually better to avoid waste or keep an item in use first. A useful starting point is to pick one everyday category—such as food, clothing, or household goods—and make one change that sticks.

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