The world’s first recycling mall is found in Sweden.
ReTuna Återbruksgalleria is the world's first recycling mall, revolutionizing shopping in a climate-smart way. Old items are given new life through repair and upcycling. Everything sold is recycled or reused or has been organically or sustainably produced.
The mall opened its doors in August 2015 and is located next to the Retuna Återvinningscentral recycling center at Folkestaleden 7 in Eskilstuna. It is easy for visitors to sort materials they are discarding into the containers and then drop off reusable toys, furniture, clothes, decorative items, and electronic devices in the mall’s depot, called “Returen”. In the depot, staff from AMA (Eskilstuna Municipality’s resource unit for activity, motivation and work) perform an initial culling of what is usable and what is not. The items are then distributed to the recycling shops in the mall. The shop staff then perform a second culling, where they choose what they want to repair, fix up, convert, refine – and ultimately sell. In this way, the materials are given new life.
And the business concept is working: In 2018, ReTuna Återbruksgalleria had SEK 11.7 million in sales for recycled products.
But, ReTuna is more than just a marketplace. It also aims to be a public educator. ReTuna organizes events, workshops, lectures, theme days, and more – all with a focus on sustainability. The folk high school Eskilstuna Folkhögskola conducts its one-year education program “Recycle Design – Återbruk” in the premises. There are also conference rooms, where guests can hold climate-smart meetings. Organic lunch and baked treats are on offer at Café Returama.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #retuna #recycle #repurpose #inspired
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Illegal dumping comes with a fine. Purposely doing it to cause harm to a native animal (bush turkey) is also illegal. The first photo was taken at 9am on the 13th of October on path between Sydney Road & Tower st in Manly. Sophie reported it to the council who have said they will sort it this week. By 5pm there was more junk on the pile .
How people can get away with doing this in pure daylight we don’t know but we hope they get caught and charged a big fine. It is not only a nasty act but it is also damaging the local environment and making the area an eye sore. Bush turkeys are protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Please report all illegal dumpings to the council immediately on 1300 434 434.
Pic: Sophie Wilson
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #litter

We love our beaches clean from plastic pollution.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plasticfree

We have book street libraries, why not a beach toy library?
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plastic

How much plastic is there in a pair of stretch jeans? This much!
"Permacoach" have been using their composting systems to experiment with some of the things that we ultimately contribute to the waste stream. This pair of stretch jeans would usually have been repurposed but they sacrificed them to the compost bin just to see how much of the fabric was cotton and how much was plastic. We now know that most plastics do not break down. Our disposal options are to burn them and release toxic fumes or to not burn them and have them persist in our environment, possibly forever, as micro plastic particles. These micro plastics are now turning up in the bodies of animals, including us. Their long term consequences are unknown.
Our best option is to take good care of the clothing we already have and to refuse to add anything to our wardrobe until we actually need to replace something. Let’s kill fashion
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plastic #plasticfree #jeans #fashion

​Northern Beaches Clean Up Crew runs on team work and kindness. We love how community members of all ages and backgrounds come together for a good cause - a better and cleaner planet for all beings. We're so grateful and honoured to know you all.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #beachcleanup

Lauren Roman has just finished a doctoral thesis looking at the effects of plastics in marine birds found in Australia and New Zealand. Balloons are the number 1 cause of death in sea birds such as Albatross and Mutton birds that have consumed plastic. 
​#northernbeachescleanupcrew #balloons #plastic

Please snip all plastic sealers from milk and other bottles. Takes a second & hopefully saves a life. Thank you.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plastic

​Let's have it as a goal for October to ditch the big four: plastic straws, plastic bags, takeaway coffee in a single use cup and bottled water. To help you with this, invest in a keep cup, put reusable bags in your car o fold them up in your handbag, work bags, remember to the waiter/waitress that you don't want a straw in your drink and invest in a glass or stainless steel bottle and fill it up from the tap or water stations we have on the beaches.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plasticfree

If we continue to dump plastic as we have done to date, the quantity floating on the surface could quadruple by the year 2050, and up to 231.6 million tonnes will have polluted the ocean as microplastics.
The picture is better if we stop releasing any plastic into the ocean from 2020. In that scenario, the volume of floating plastic would drop to 59% of its current levels. But the quantity of microplastics in the ocean would still more than double by 2050 as material already trapped in the environment degrades.
The problem will be with us for decades, the researchers write:
“Mitigating microplastic pollution in the global ocean requires two major components: (1) drastically reducing emissions of plastic pollution in the coming years and (2) actively engaging in removal operations of plastic waste from the marine environment to reduce further generation of secondary microplastics.
“Without proper handling and management of accumulated plastic waste, the legacy of the last 70 years of throw-away society will live on through the generation of ever smaller synthetic polymer fragments in soils, freshwater ecosystems and eventually the ocean.”
By: Mark Bruer
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #beachcleanup
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If you see illegal dumping, please report it to the council. If you're moving and got a lot of big items to get rid off, contact the council and they can organise a pick up. All households are eligible for two Bulky Goods Collections within a 12 month period.
Link: https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/council/news/quick-reporting-leads-to-illegal-dumping-fines
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #litter #rubbish

If you bring your own produce bag when shopping, you don't need to struggle to open up those pesky thin single-use fresh produce bags.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #plastic #plasticfreeproduce #plasticfree

What to do when your bamboo toothbrush has reached the end of its life as a toothbrush? Why not use it as plant labels or a cleaning brush.
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #reusable #toothbrush

Does this look like a bin?
#northernbeachescleanupcrew #litter