Humankind consumes twice the amount of natural resources actually available, and in Finland we consume four times more than is available. Non-renewable raw materials, such as metals and fossil fuels, are declining, and the earth is not able to produce enough renewable materials, such as wood, to keep up with our consumption. We have quadrupled our use of natural resources in five decades.

Circular economy is a way to achieve sustainable use of natural resources. In a circular economy, renewable natural resources are used sustainably and non-renewable resources are used over and over again. The objective is to avoid waste altogether. Circular economy maximizes the cycle of products, components and materials and the value bound in them for as long as possible. At best, the value of a raw material may increase during the cycle.

Measures to advance circular economy in living:

• Choose long-lasting, repairable devices and structures.
• Choose recycled and recyclable materials when renovating.
• Sort your waste daily at home and when building or renovating so that valuable raw materials can be re-used.

More about this topic:

Circular economy (Sitra)
Circular economy (Ministry of the Environment)