A study visit to Norway was held for project partners of the StudioKroG project in September. The partners got to see first hand what organisations do to encourage local communities to implement the circular economy principles in everyday life, and how reuse centres work together with local authorities.
In addition, the project partners learned more about an innovative project which involves the setting up of portable low-cost student housing structures using (discarded) shipping containers, and a university renovation project in which only old furniture was used. The project partners also visited a second-hand store which sells two-to-three year old mobile phones which are currently in demand. These project all testify that awareness is growing among people that the environment, and not the consumers, pays the highest price in the entire supply chain. Reuse as part of circular economy has been gaining ground and has become part of everyday life in Norway. It is almost a tradition, as the first circular economy models emerged already back in the early 1970s. The StudioKroG project adresses the issue of circular use of resources which puts at the forefront designing with waste and creative reuse to contribute to pollution reduction and climate change management.