Circular Cities Project
The Recycling Council of Alberta is helping Alberta communities to explore and support the Circular Cities concept, working with them to create roadmaps for a sustainable circular economy.
EXPLORE WHAT’S HAPPENING
Circular Cities | Circular Initiatives | Banff Roadmap | Calgary Roadmap | Lethbridge Roadmap
Let’s shift the paradigm
of how we manage our resources
Consulting on the Circular City concept
The RCA has established a foundational group of Alberta municipalities to develop a Circular Cities Roadmap containing strategies for transitioning to a circular economy. Other communities can follow their lead by using these success stories as models, along with others from across the globe.
The old model of a
linear economy is a dead end.
It harvests raw materials and heads in only one direction – towards disposal. This burns through finite resources, contributes to pollution, and creates a lot of garbage. We can shift the paradigm of how we manage resources by moving toward a circular economy.
Why circular cities?
Conserving and sharing resources saves money while reducing air, water and noise pollution, and cutting down on the release of greenhouse gas emissions and toxic substances.
Supporting the circular cities concept will:
- raise awareness of strategies that reduce waste, conserve resources and combat climate change
- increase understanding of why a linear economy is harmful, and what sustainable initiatives are possible
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate a circular economy
A Circular Economy
keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible
It fosters innovation and better design, reuse, recycling, remanufacture and waste prevention strategies
What ideas are emerging?
Get inspired by these circular city initiatives already underway in Alberta:
Banff Food Rescue and Calgary’s Leftovers programs pick up food that would normally be thrown away, and dispense it to people and organizations in need.
Environment Lethbridge encourages residents to bring items in need of repair to free “Fix it Fair” events, which offer tools, space to work and guidance from volunteers to help make repairs.
Cities outline a commitment to sustainable building principles with policies that include the procurement of materials which contain recycled content, are regionally available, are re-used, or meet certification standards.
These centres reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by accepting items for reuse or repurpose.
“The RCA’s Circular Cities project is a fantastic way for municipalities to create a shared vision toward a circular economy in Alberta. Thank you to RCA for doing this important work and providing support as we begin our circular economy journey!”
Carla Bitz | Town of Banff
Circular City
initiatives
RCA’s Circular Cities Project draws on circular economy concepts from around Alberta and across the globe. We thank our partners in sustainability for allowing us to share these ideas.
BEST PRACTICE
City of Amsterdam
Sharing Economy Action Plan
SOURCE: ELLEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION | CIRCULAR CITIES AMSTERDAM CASE STUDY
The City of Amsterdam uses a “living” Sharing Economy Action Plan to encourage this concept throughout the city. Using existing city budgets to provide funding, it targets multiple opportunities including housing, office space, product sharing opportunities and integrated sharing-mobility modes, such as cars, bikes and scooters. The initiatives include:
Five Roadmaps
Five Alberta communities
Five Alberta communities have worked with the RCA to develop roadmaps for sustainable action towards a circular economy.
Access the roadmaps for more details on circular initiatives from around Alberta.
We thank Alberta EcoTrust and The Alberta Government’s Community Environment Action Grant for your support of this project.
The Circular Cities project supports the RCA’s primary mission to promote, facilitate and advocate for a Circular Economy in Alberta through waste reduction and resource conservation. For more information contact us or call 403.843.6563.
UNSPLASH IMAGES | Louis Paulin (Banff report) • Kyler Nixon (Calgary report) • Alex Pugliese (Edmonton report) • Graham Rutton (Lethbridge report) •