¶ Reuse Academy
¶ TL;DR
Preventing waste is more effective than managing it. The Reuse Academy focuses on education to bridge critical gaps in the circular economy, with a particular focus on awareness about social-environmental issues. The Academy offers education on roles related to valuing, repairing, refurbishing, upcycling, and recirculating goods and materials before recycling.
¶ Quick links
- Text about the role of circular material valuer.
¶ Motivation
Research shows that the best way to reduce the impact of unwanted and unused materials is intervening even before they are considered waste. In other words, investing on waste prevention with the goal of reducing and reusing is generally more effective than merely increasing the collection of recyclable materials. Reuse Academy contributes with professional educational and data resources to support the systemic reuse of goods and objects.
Its emphasis on material reuse comes from the understanding that most educational approaches to the circular economy focus chiefly on both ends of the supply chain: design and manufacturing; waste collection and recycling. There is then a fundamental part missing in between consumption and waste treatment: the preparation for, and effective reuse of, things.
¶ What and Why?
Led by Reuse City Studio, Reuse Academy is a collaborative initiative dedicated to filling critical gaps in sustainable resource management. By prioritizing reuse over recycling, it addresses an often-overlooked aspect of the circular economy. While many efforts concentrate on the product lifecycle's beginning and end, the Reuse Academy emphasizes the middle ground: extending a product's life through maintenance, repair, repurposing, and recirculation.
The Reuse Academy provides tools and resources for teams to develop innovative reuse projects. By cultivating a skilled workforce, Reuse City Studio and its partners contribute to building a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.
The Academy fosters a collaborative atmosphere where participants learn from one another and develop innovative solutions through practical training, knowledge sharing, and community building. The initiative brings together individuals, organizations, and communities to achieve a shared objective: a world where resources are maximized and waste is reduced.
¶ Collaborate
Contact Felipe Schmidt Fonseca (felipe at reuse.city) to find ways to collaborate as an individual or an organisation.
¶ References
¶ Circular Material Valuer
- Valoriste, un métier d’avenir
- Se former au réemploi solidaire
- Technicien(ne) de réemploi
- Les chantiers valoristes
- Le métier d'agent valoriste
¶ Reuse
¶ Making and repair
- Tim Hunkin's website and the Secret Life of Components (video playlist).
- Resources on home repairs such as Hometalk, this list of books,
- Resources focused on particular topics such as hiking gear, eletronics, bikes.
- Instructables tutorials on repairs.
- Culture of Repair Grant, collaboration between The High School of Fashion Industries and Repair Shop, funded by the Culture of Repair Project.
- Restarters Wiki, with beginner's guides to repairing electronics.