Zelena Istra and partners have published comprehensive guidelines, titled Kickstart Reuse, to help communities launch reuse projects.

As part of the Communities Go Circular project, environmental organizations – Zelena Istra and Zelena Akcija from Croatia, Ekologi brez meja and KNOF from Slovenia, and Zero Waste Italy from Italy – have collaboratively produced a handbook “Kickstart Reuse – Guidelines for Starting Reuse Community Projects.”

This handbook is aimed at civic initiatives, civil society organizations, and local authorities looking to establish or enhance reuse projects within their communities. Created to both inspire and guide, the handbook offers practical steps for launching reuse initiatives and highlights successful examples from organizations involved in the Communities Go Circular project.

The handbook thoroughly covers five types of reuse projects that participating organizations have successfully implemented in their local communities: repair cafés, bicycle repair workshops, reuse centers, second-hand stores, and reuse festivals. It provides a detailed overview of their activities, along with tips and advice on how to initiate and grow these projects within your own community.

The guidelines also emphasize the importance of the “right to repair” in fostering sustainable consumption and reducing waste. By following the strategies and insights provided in the handbook, communities can develop impactful reuse programs that contribute to a more sustainable future.

The handbook is available in digital format in four languages: English, Croatian, Slovenian, and Italian. A limited number of printed copies have been produced in English, using eco-friendly paper made from the invasive Japanese knotweed plant, helping to control its spread.

The Communities Go Circular project, which led to the publication of the handbook, was launched under the European Union’s “Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values – CERV” program. The project’s theme is reuse and waste reduction, following the 4R principles (reduce, reuse, repair, recycle).

The project aims to provide education on repair and reuse, encourage the opening of new repair and reuse centers, network organizations working on these issues, and drive systemic changes in waste management.

More than 1,000 citizens participated in the project, along with numerous representatives of civil society organizations and decision-makers. To achieve the project’s goals, 40 workshops for citizens were organized, along with five additional workshops for decision-makers and stakeholders, two seminars for NGOs, four international conferences in Pula, Krško, Ljubljana, and Capannori, two online awareness campaigns, and a series of advocacy activities.

The project is led by the Zelena Istra Association, and the project partners are: Ekologi brez meja, KNOF, Zelena akcija and Zero Waste Italy.

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