City of Sacramento Develops Circular Economy Marketplace

SACRAMENTO, Calif.-- The term Circular Economy is an economic model that seeks to create a regenerative closed-loop production system that keeps as many resources in play for as long as possible, ultimately eliminating waste. This economic system is a crucial step towards the United Nations and the Paris climate change agreement goals. Approaches to achieve circularity have been mostly focused on large global corporations, that tend to have slow changing top-down solutions.

"The commonly practiced top-down approach to Circular Economy does little to solve environmental justice, income inequality, and cultural diversity. It lacks the crucial development support needed for local community solutions." explains Atrium 916 CEO, Shira Lane, "I believe to induce circular economy acceleration, we should also work with small scale creative makers, and inventors of local communities, those who are motivated to innovate, and understand the local community needs. This creates a bottom-up approach to circular economy innovation, giving rise to local micro manufacturing that is sustainable, culturally diverse and increases neighborhood well-being."

Atrium 916 , the 501c3 nonprofit Up Kindness, Inc., is an accelerator for the circular economy, working closely with independent local maker communities to develop new products that divert waste from the local landfill, and help makers of local products redesign for efficient package return models. Atrium 916 received funding from the City of Sacramento in 2020 to build the circular economy marketplace Sacramento.Shop. Since the inception of the nonprofit covid response program, it has paid local makers over $120K for products made in Sacramento and sold nationwide.

Sacramento.Shop, both an e-commerce marketplace and brick n' mortar store houses Sacramento made products like a mini amazon with an additional layer of free sustainability product development for local makers who are part of the program. All packing of Sacramento.Shop products have been designed for circularity, where product packaging is encouraged to be returned. Packaging can be returned to the retail store, or a front door pick-up service is available when ordering same day delivery in Sacramento County. Sacramento.Shop has supported the rise of eco-friendly small-scale manufacturing in Sacramento and its art café has become a community gathering space for eco minded creative individuals.

"Organizing the return of products in a decentralized fashion, like blockchain, with many local hubs offering access to return and re-use of products is how we will fast-track circular economy innovation. Atrium 916 is working on building a re-use facility to test and scale, our conversion of waste to re-useable products. We hope that our pilot project here in the capital of California can be a model to be replicated in other counties and provinces to accelerate the creation of the Circular Economy everywhere." – Atrium CEO Shira Lane.

SOURCE Atrium 916