5 Team Building Ideas To Move Towards A Circular Economy

What is the circular economy? It is exactly as simple as it sounds – a waste minimizing economy model that reduces pollution by maximizing the life cycle of products and keeping the materials in use. Essentially, it is the reduce, reuse, and recycle mantra taken out of household waste management and applied to business – don’t introduce new waste or materials until necessary, don’t throw out what still has life left in it, and eliminate responsibly the items that are no longer usable.

In a world seemingly run by waste and consumerism, how do you get your workplace on board with this new culture of responsibility? Try circular economy team-building activities. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Make it a contest. Place recycling bins in each department in your office. Whomever of the sections fills it the fastest – and correctly – wins a prize. There are a couple of caveats – you don’t want your team to create trash, just responsibly take care of their normal consumption. You also don’t want the prize to create more waste – consider giving a deeper discount on an already established perk, or an extra hour on lunch break, something that is an effective incentive but doesn’t add to the very waste problem you’re trying to prevent.
2. Create outside events that help the environment in the community – for example, roadside clean-up, Earth Day booths or festivals, or recycling bin collection programs.
3. Organize a clothing drive. Used clothing can be donated to charity rather than thrown out or left to be neglected and damaged in a closet. Have your coworkers bring in clothing and donate it every month. Weigh how much is going out and keep a chart – every month try to beat your number! Staff don’t have to collect just out of their closets – they can bring in hauls from their churches and other community projects and activities.
4. No plastic! Another circular economy project idea is to create a game out of avoiding plastic use and go to great lengths to do so, to demonstrate how pervasive it really is. Collect all plastic you can’t avoid in a box and display the results. Keeping the recycle bin empty just from simple lack of need is the best environmental gift you can give the planet – after all, even the process of recycling consumes energy.
5. Throw a waste-free potluck. What office doesn’t love food? Challenge coworkers to a homemade luncheon with food in reusable containers. Keep track of successes and failures.

Your team doesn’t have to feel limited by a circular economy. It’s a challenge – so make it one that will bring you closer together!