InCommOn – Innovative Communities Onwards

Member since: 01/2022

Active in: WG Framework conditions

http://www.incommon.gr/

InCommOn – Innovative Communities Onwards

InCommOn is a non-profit organisation in Greece that promotes sustainable and participatory urban development to tackle the problems that cities are facing. We address equally the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainability and circularity. One pioneering project focuses on the reuse of organic waste by collecting spent coffee grounds from cafes and processing the biomass for use as bio-energy or compost. InCommOn works with communities, local authorities, national government and networks of businesses to advocate for behaviour change and legal regulatory change with regard to waste management on all levels: individual, community, industry, local and national governments and pan-European.

InCommOn believes that we can only tackle huge environmental problems through cooperation, knowledge-sharing and mutual support.  Becoming a member of an international alliance gives us a unique opportunity to share ideas and learn from a wide range of other groups; to build connections to cooperate towards waste reduction as a global community.  The PREVENT Waste Alliance, with its international reach, is highly efficient at enabling groups to collaborate towards shared goals. As a small organisation, being connected to like-minded organisations globally will be of immense benefit and we intend to work hard to contribute to this alliance however we can.

Circular economy’ encompasses both sustainable, dignified and equitable livelihoods, and circularity – economic, social and environmental. Without equally considering all 3 aspects simultaneously, ‘circularity’ cannot be achieved. A circular economy is one in which the linear economy (extraction-production- use- disposal) is replaced by re-use, sharing, re-purposing and responsible waste management.  This entails not merely economic change: it requires behavioural change and a widespread societal shift.  These changes may involve small scale sharing / barter economies as well as large scale advocacy or consumer campaigns for changes to the current systems of cheap, harmful mass production, over-consumption and waste.