On Friday, November 7, we as a province, together with other parties in the Utrecht region, celebrate ten years of collaboration towards a more circular society. The circular society: it can be complicated to explain, but actually it is very simple. As a society, we will use fewer raw materials and produce less waste.
Together with residents, entrepreneurs, and partners, we close the loop and invest in a circular society where current and future generations can live, work, and thrive in a healthy environment. To achieve this, we need everyone: governments, companies, social organizations, knowledge and educational institutions, and residents. On November 7, they will look back together but also look forward.
Did you know
- One municipality has surplus seesaws while another has street lamps and paving? Municipalities are working together on a marketplace for these kinds of materials.
- Nature organizations and governments can use nature and roadside mowing to make good compost? Better than throwing it away, right? They are working together to scale up.
- You can apply natural materials not only in building insulation but also in road construction? An interesting market for local fiber crops, a nice new revenue model for farmers.
- There are still many usable items in bulky waste? We will harvest those together!
- Repairing is not only useful but also very fun to do? With the campaign Heel Utrecht Repareert (All of Utrecht Repairs), we make this visible.
Growing network
Has Bakker, deputy of the Province of Utrecht and chairman of the administrative network: “With ten years of experience, a growing network, and visible results, we are stronger than ever. From this foundation, we continue building a circular Utrecht region – together, with energy, decisiveness, and confidence. This way, we make the step from thinking to doing and accelerate the transition to a circular society.”
Strong will to live sustainably
Without the 1,370,000 inhabitants of Utrecht, a circular Utrecht is not possible. Circular behavior and involvement of residents are indispensable to achieve goals. Think of initiatives such as Repair Cafés, car sharing, swap & share events, giveaway shops, upcycling of waste, and joint food projects. These examples show a strong will to live more sustainably. By supporting and connecting these initiatives, a resilient network emerges in which sustainable behavior becomes the most obvious and attractive function.
Together towards a circular future
On November 7, governments, social organizations, and knowledge institutions in the Alliance Cirkelregio Utrecht join forces. During this meeting, the Steering Document will be signed: a joint roadmap with eight action lines that will guide the coming years towards a circular future in our province.
Accelerating through cooperation
The Alliance Cirkelregio Utrecht aims to strengthen and accelerate the circular movement by connecting people and sharing knowledge. Within eight action lines, partners work together on concrete steps towards a sustainable economy. Circular entrepreneurship is the common thread – it is the engine behind the transition to a circular society.
From waste to value
One of the spearheads is ‘Mastering the Environmental Cost Indicator (MKI)’, which expresses environmental impact in euros. This allows companies and governments to make more conscious choices for sustainable solutions. “The MKI makes sustainability concrete and measurable. This way, we can truly steer on impact,” says the circular society strategist of the Province of Utrecht.
Also, with the action line ‘Circular Craft Centers’, circularity literally takes shape: bulky waste is transformed into valuable products with a new life. The Nature and Environment Federation Utrecht says: “By harvesting the circular potential from our waste, we take a step towards a sustainable economy.”
Utrecht as the beating heart of the circular transition
The Province of Utrecht, due to its central location and diverse character, is the beating heart of the Netherlands. To cherish this character, we work hard on the challenges ahead. Here, we collaborate on the ambition to realize a fully circular society by 2050. The Alliance Cirkelregio Utrecht plays a key role – as a network that stimulates cooperation, connects initiatives, and enables sustainable change.
Want to know more? Visit www.cirkelregio-utrecht.nl external link for more information.
For press information:
jiri.glaap@provincie-utrecht.nl
+31 6 39 63 21 97
