The European Waste Reduction Week is underway for the fourth consecutive year and Monaco is a keen participant, with numerous awareness-raising activities and events organised to encourage residents in the Principality to waste less and reuse more.

Waste Reduction Week is a Europe-wide event aimed at getting people to think harder about the three Rs: reducing, reusing and recycling. Monaco will champion the event up until 27th November and this year has set the theme of “Circular and Sustainable Textiles”.

The textile industry has a big impact on the environment, from the production and distribution phases all the way through to after-use, where many pieces end up in landfills. The Monegasque government is therefore asking people to consider what to do with clothes, shoes, towels, bedding and other textile products before mindlessly dumping them in the bin.

To help, they have set up a series of terrific events to discover sustainable solutions that are both informational and fun.

The creative ways the government and other associations in the Principality are getting involved range wildly from a treasure hunt to “Textiles in Bloom”, a weeklong programme by the Department of Urban Development that uses an original process for reusing used textiles and transforming them into a personalised and reusable tote bag.

Other events include sewing workshops, a charity work clothes collection for people trying to re-enter the job market, a raffle (for every three clothing items donated, a ticket to win prizes is offered), and the community creation of an XXL textile fresco made from used clothes, bed and table linen, and scraps of fabric.

There are so many more incredible ways to be a part of this year’s European Waste Reduction Week – far too many to be listed. The complete schedule can be found here.

Get inspired and get involved, Monaco!

Photo source: Lucas Hoang for Unsplash