A mall where everything is secondhand
Eskilstuna is an hour's train journey from Stockholm, Swedenās capital.
In 2015, the cityās local government opened a mall called ReTuna. None of the items sold in this mall are new- they are either recycled or upcycled.
Itās strategically situated next to the cityās recycling center, where locals regularly drop off their unwanted household items.
Shopkeepers then come and inspect these items and decide what they can resell or upcycle and resell.
The shops inside the mall are run as businesses, like in any other mall. They strive to make a profit and pay their rent.
This is a great example of a circular economy that is functioning well within the capitalist society.
Moving onto this weekās content. So today, we havešš½
A startup thatās helping brands to reduce their packaging waste
Another startup thatās converting your loved oneās body into soil
Some good news
Can I help you?
ā»ļø Helping brands to reduce their packaging waste
Costs & Cleaningā¦Reuse packaging is the superhero of sustainability! It keeps goods in the ecosystem and away from landfills and oceans. So why aren't more brands jumping on the reuse bandwagon? First, we've got the villainous high costs. And then, the lack of cleaning infrastructure to clean up the packaging for reuse.
Reuse Revolutionā¦London-based Again is solving that by building the infrastructure to promote reuse. It has built an advanced decentralized cleaning system inside shipping containers. These are called CleanCells. The dirty, used packaging is collected and sent to these CleanCells and is cleaned using an autonomous system.
The dirty packaging is cleaned and processed and put back into the system.
This reduces emissions and waste and promotes a circular economy.
It uses 76% less water & 90% less energy than traditional recycling methods.
Unite. Clean. Reuseā¦They partner with FMCG brands, retailers, reusable packaging platforms, and waste management companies. A CleanCell can clean thousands of packaging units each month, allowing them to be put back into the system for refill and reuse.
šConvert your loved oneās body into soil that can nurture new life
Cremation Crisisā¦Burial these days is less accessible as cemeteries are running out of plots and land is being allocated to other developments. So cremation is a default funeral choice. Unfortunately, itās a carbon-intensive activity and harms the environment.
Soil from Soulsā¦Recompose has come up with a model that is more sustainable, by transforming bodies into soil via human composting. This provides a way for our bodies to return to the earth.
Theyāve developed a patent-pending Recompose Vessel System where bodies are kept
Each vessel is filled with natural materials, such as wood chips, alfalfa, and straw, and is aerated. It is constantly monitored
After 5-7 weeks, the soil is collected and given to the families or donated to conservation efforts.
Earthly Farewell, Simplifiedā¦Itās a funeral offering that is connected to the earth's natural cycles. Recompose also handles all legal and logistical needs. It also has a prearrangement program, called Precompose which allows prospective customers to sign up for one-time or monthly payments and complete the legal documents related to their death care.
š¹ Some Good News
Turning Up the Heat: New York Flames the Gas with First-Ever Ban on Natural Gas Stoves and Furnaces!
Sweden's Electrifying Milestone: Charging Ahead on the Road to a Shocking EVolution!
Flowing Miracles: Rural Indian Community Breathes Life into 'Dead' River
š Can I help you?
Apart from sharing climate-positive stories, I also work as a freelance content writer for planet-friendly brands.
Hereās some of the work that Iāve done in the recent past-
Feel free to reach out if you need (budget-friendly) help with your blogs, newsletters, or whitepapers.
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Loved the mall idea, and the parking fee based on the car. I'd totally go to a secondhand mall. I do love what we call op-shops. I've got some real treasures there including my favourite dress, which I bought, secondhand, in 1994 and still wear.