Since October is Circular Economy Month in Canada, I wanted to highlight a few local initiatives that inspire me.
They’re all run by people who, like us, believe that the easiest way to build a sustainable world is to make sustainable choices simple and accessible.
When you remove unnecessary friction, people are happy to participate—because living sustainably shouldn’t require heroic effort or endless willpower.
Here are some of my favourites:
🥾 Wild Again by Wild Rock (Peterborough-based, accepting gear for resale from across Canada)
Our friends at Wild Rock, our trusted gear supplier, launched “Wild Again,” a resale program for high-quality outdoor clothing and gear.
It keeps durable items in circulation instead of landfills—and helps more people get outside affordably.
🧰 Tool Libraries (Peterborough & Toronto)
A yearly membership lets you borrow tools for any DIY project instead of buying them.
I’ve built a coffee table, finished drywall, and tiled a kitchen backsplash—all without owning the power tools required for a job.
Thousands of dollars saved, new skills gained, and no clutter in the garage.
🔧 Repair Cafés
Volunteer-run meetups where you can bring broken items and learn to fix them.
They’re slowly popping up everywhere—here’s the Toronto one and the Peterborough one.
🔧 Your Nearby Repair Services
I’m always amazed by how inexpensive it can be to repair something, even in today’s economy.
From shoe cobblers to watch repair shops, these small, family-run businesses quietly keep thousands of items out of landfills every year.
When you choose to repair instead of replace, you’re not just saving money—you’re supporting a local family and extending the life of what you already own.
📚 Toronto Public Library
It’s more than books. Their 3D-printing labs let you recreate small parts that manufacturers stopped selling—so you can repair instead of replace.
There is also professional audio equipment you can borrow and use their fully-equipped filming rooms to record videos or podcasts.
🍎 Odd Bunch
A produce-delivery box rescuing “imperfect” fruits and vegetables from being thrown away.
Fresh, affordable, and fighting food waste one carrot at a time.
🥗 Crisper (Toronto)
Toronto’s first and only zero-waste meal kit subscription service.
It offers all the convenience of a meal kit—without the mountain of plastic waste that usually comes with it.
A great example of how circular thinking can transform even the simplest daily habits.
🚗 Communauto
A flexible car-share service for city dwellers who don’t want to own a car but still need one occasionally.
Perfect for weekend trips or spontaneous adventures.
🚲 Toronto Bike Share
An easy way to reduce short car trips and see the city from a new perspective.
Plus, no need to worry about maintenance or storage.
All of these examples remind me why we do what we do at Camp Rentique—because convenience and sustainability don’t have to be opposites.
To a less wasteful world,
Polina Ratnichkina
Founder
Camp Rentique
P.S. I’m sure I’ve missed a few great examples! If there’s a local business or program you love makes sustainable choices simple and accessible, reply and tell me about it.
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