What do you do with left behind and no longer needed or useful furniture when you move into a new office?
Many people might just throw out the old furniture, but when NuGrow is involved, you can bet we’ll see this as an opportunity to practice what we preach.
When NuGrow recently moved into its new head office in Brookwater, the decision about what to do with the leftover furniture was not a simple one. But driven by our circular economy philosophy, we naturally decided to repurpose and get the most use possible out of the old furniture, rather than merely dumping it into landfill. Some of it was recycled, and some was refurbished, but all of it was put to good use.
Anything that couldn’t be repurposed was supplied to World’s Biggest Garage Sale (WBGS), who aim to re-activate stock in the economy. WBGS is in the business of resource recovery, providing savvy shoppers and bargain hunters with the chance to indulge in some guilt-free retail therapy by shopping for rescued resources at a fraction of the original price. It’s all about transforming waste into saleable goods, a philosophy which meshes perfectly with NuGrow’s commitment to a circular economy.
A circular economy is an economic system that promotes the continual use of resources through the elimination of waste. It’s a regenerative approach that benefits businesses, society and the environment, and is in complete opposition to the “take, make, dispose” model of production found under a traditional linear economy. Under our current model, we take resources to make products, which we often throw away when we don’t want or need them anymore. In contrast, a circular economy promotes sustainable growth that is not dependent on the consumption of finite resources.
By repurposing and recycling waste products, a true circular economy will:
- Minimise unsustainable material consumption by designing out waste and pollution.
- Maximise the value of materials that circulate within the economy by keeping products in use at their maximum value.
- Reduce the effects of hazardous substances and problematic waste streams (such as plastics and electronic goods) and help regenerate natural systems.
The current system is no longer working for our planet, and our vision at NuGrow, along with companies such as WBGS, is to accelerate the transition from a linear to a circular economy. By changing our collective mindset about the way we view waste, we can ensure that environmental impacts are minimised.
WBGS got to work reconditioning the old furniture, which will now be sold at their Circular Economy Precinct in Morningside, which aims to help create a thriving economy that benefits everyone – but within the limitations of our environment.
“We are thrilled to be in a new space, enabling us to scale operations, with a focus on People, Planet and Purpose. Our team rescues dormant goods and transforms resources, creating local jobs and supporting local communities, while offering conscious consumers a unique and uplifted sustainable resale retail shopping experience. Whether it’s giving dormant goods to go through our resource recovery process or shopping second-hand, we can all take action to bring about a circular economy,” a spokesperson from WBGS said.
It’s a great way to shop if you’re looking for products that are beneficial for both your budget and the planet. You can discover more about WBGS here.
NuGrow engaged specialist fit-out, refurbishment and construction company Fore Group to undertake the new fit-out, and are extremely happy with the results. We look forward to working with Fore Group again in the future.
Our collaboration with WBGS and Fore Group, fuelled by our collective belief in the importance of a circular economy, has reinforced the concept that everyone has a role to play in transforming the status quo into something a lot more sustainable and healthier – and far more circular.