This December, from the Xarxa Punt TIC, we want to spread projects, initiatives and campaigns that promote sustainable purchases, the second life of devices and the reuse of products. The aim is to show other ways to consume, buy and give gifts during the Christmas holidays.
So, this week, we talk about it with Clàudia Bosch from Setem:
- Recently, you presented the ‘Fem la REvolta’ campaign. What is the will?
- The aim of the campaign is to make information on waste prevention and the promotion of responsible consumption more accessible. Waste generation and consumption are closely related. Currently, we are causing a serious ecological crisis, where waste generation plays an important and key role. Electrical and electronic devices, for example, are the fastest growing waste stream in the world. Responsible consumption means rethinking what we buy first hand and reusing what we have. Before buying new products, there are other alternatives that allow us to reduce the environmental impact of our consumption derived from the use of energy and raw materials for their production, as well as their inadequate management once we are no longer does service The market is constantly repeating and advertising new products and buying first hand tends to be the first choice for many people, when in reality it should always be the last choice.
- What are the two new tools that make up the ‘Fem la REvolta’ campaign?
- There are two interactive websites, one on electrical and electronic products and one on textile products, which through various questions help us find the best solution for what we need, be it acquiring a product or getting rid of one we don't need serves us, always prioritizing the hierarchy of waste prevention (reduce, reuse, repair, renovate, recover and recycle). On the two interactive websites, citizens will find information on social enterprises, projects and active initiatives to practice more responsible consumption, as well as advice and search tools to find sustainable stores or exchange markets. In addition, we have published two reports for those who want to learn more about why it is urgent and relevant.
- Focusing on electrical and electronic waste, do you have statistical data?
- In 2019, 53.9 million tons of this type of electrical and electronic waste were generated globally (computers, mobile phones, toasters, dryers and all kinds of devices that carry a battery or that are plugged into the light), and only 17% has been documented as properly recycled. The data is terrifying.
- So, what responsible alternatives are available to citizens?
- The first step is to question whether we really need a new product. Maybe we can repair what we have. In this case, there are several civil society initiatives organized to help consumers learn to repair their own products with the help of technical people. Also, there are repair manuals available online created by an international network of repairers such as Ifixit. Likewise, there are many second-hand shops, as well as online second-hand buying and selling platforms. In towns and cities, there are self-managed groups organized by WhatsApp or Telegram where people donate what they don't use. In the same way, products can be rented if we want to use them only on specific occasions or borrow them from a library of things. Also, there are exchange markets. At the same time, when we have a product that we don't want to use, we need to think about what to do with it. In Catalonia, there are several social enterprises that provide employment integration for vulnerable people who manage textile and electronic waste. Also, there are several non-profit organizations that have computer collection projects that they then use for social purposes. Leaving these types of products on the street, thinking that someone will take advantage of them, often results in their being wasted. Leaving them forgotten in a drawer is not a good solution either, as we prevent someone from being able to use them. We need to be informed and choose well what we do with what we have at home.
- Finally, why is it necessary to bet on critical consumption?
- We must assume our share of responsibility for what we consume. Many critical consumers together we have more influence. Our isolated actions may seem insignificant, but if we add them to the actions of others, we achieve a greater impact. Joining these types of initiatives results in a strengthening of them. The market has a lot of influence on how laws are made internationally, as well as on consumer habits, as big companies spend a lot of money on campaigns. The buy-and-throw culture and low-cost products are neither ethical nor sustainable. As citizens, we must organize ourselves to build consumption circuits based on reuse, exchange, repair, as well as to strengthen projects or companies of the social and solidarity economy that are dedicated to the management of waste and the sale of products or services with social and environmental sustainability criteria.