From Waste to Opportunity: Young Entrepreneurs and Innovative Parents Creating a Circular Suriname

We’ve talked about the challenges waste and climate change present here in Suriname. Sometimes, it feels like a giant problem, right? But what if we told you that what we consider “trash” today could actually be a goldmine for innovation, entrepreneurship, and a more just future for our country? We want to change that narrative and show you how, together, we can transform waste into opportunities.

From “Take-Make-Dispose” to “Use and Reuse”: The Circular Economy

Most of us are used to the “linear economy”: we take a resource, turn it into something, use it, and then throw it away. It’s a direct path to the landfill, like the one in Ornamibo.

But there’s a better way, and it’s called the Circular Economy. Imagine a cycle:

• Reduce: Simply put, buy and consume less. The best waste is the one that’s never generated.

• Reuse: Give things a second life. A glass bottle can become a vase, a box, or a place to store things.

• Recycle: Transform waste materials into new products. Your old plastic bottle could become a chair or even fabric yarn.

• Repair: Fix what’s broken instead of throwing it away and buying something new.

In a circular economy, materials and products are kept in use for as long as possible, extracting their maximum value, and then recovered and regenerated at the end of their useful life. It’s a system where waste barely exists!

Young Entrepreneurs: Your Creativity Transforms Waste

Young people of Suriname, you have incredible energy and brilliant minds for innovation. What if we channel that energy to turn waste problems into projects that benefit the community and your pockets?

• Furniture and Art from Recycled Materials: Have you seen those piles of old tires? They can be amazing sofas for a living room, swings for a school yard, or colorful plant pots! A young person could create an “Upcycling” workshop where discarded objects are transformed into functional and beautiful pieces.

• Jewelry and Decorations from Collected Plastics: Imagine collecting single-use plastics from our beaches and rivers, cleaning them, melting them down, or cutting them to create unique earrings, bracelets, or home decor. It’s not only a source of income but also a way to clean up our environment.

• Apps for Reuse: How about a mobile application where people in Paramaribo or Wanica can offer items they no longer use (clothes, books, working appliances) to others who need them? It would be a platform for exchange and donation, fostering large-scale reuse.

• Creative Repair Businesses: With the “throwaway” trend, repair skills are becoming increasingly valuable. A young person could specialize in repairing electronics, clothing, or even bicycles, offering an essential service that extends product lifespan and reduces waste.

Innovative Parents at Home: The Inspiring Example

Parents, you play a crucial role in fostering this circular mindset at home and within your family’s economy. Your daily decisions are powerful:

• Foster a Culture of Repair: Before throwing something broken away, ask: “Can it be fixed?” Teach your children the value of repairing and maintaining things, rather than instantly replacing them. You’ll save money and reduce waste.

• Participate in Second-Hand Markets and Swaps: Need clothes for your fast-growing kids? Look for second-hand clothes. Do you have items in good condition that you no longer use? Swap them with friends or sell them at a market.

• Support Local Sustainable Businesses: When you shop, look for businesses in Suriname that reuse materials, recycle, or produce sustainably. Your money can drive positive change in the market.

• Teach Value, Not Just Lifespan: Educate your children about where products come from and where they go when we throw them away. Help them understand that every item has a story and an impact, and that not everything is disposable.

The Benefits of a Circular Suriname: Beyond Zero Waste

The transition to a circular economy in Suriname means more than just less waste. Its benefits touch every aspect of climate justice and prosperity:

• Environmental: We reduce air and water pollution, decrease greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, and protect our precious biodiversity.

• Economic: New jobs are created in the collection, repair, transformation, and sale of recycled or reused products. We foster local innovation and strengthen our internal economy, making it less dependent on imports. Additionally, families can save money by repairing and buying second-hand.

• Social (Climate Justice): Less waste means less burden on vulnerable communities who often live near landfills or suffer the impacts of pollution. New economic opportunities open up for everyone, from material collectors to artisans and entrepreneurs, contributing to a more equitable society.

Our opinion is clear: this shift in mindset, from seeing waste as an end to seeing it as a new beginning, is absolutely crucial for a prosperous and just future for Suriname. It requires vision, everyone’s support, and the decisive action of every young person and every parent.

What kind of business or initiative based on reuse or recycling would you like to see, or even start, in Suriname? Share your innovative idea in the comments, and together, let’s build a more circular Suriname!