Tag: Transition Minett

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Blog Circular Economy

Streaming: the tip of the digital iceberg

To mark Digital Clean-up Awareness Week (10-16 March), Facilitec organised a screening of the ARTE documentary ‘Frankenstream, ce monstre qui nous dévore’ (‘Frankenstream, the monster that devours us’.), followed by a lively debate with digital experts.  What issues were raised by our guests and the audience in attendance, and above all what concrete actions can we all take to make the digital world more responsible?

When the immaterial pollutes more than the real

Tick tock, tick tock… We’re getting dangerously close to colliding with an ever-growing iceberg: the environmental impact of digital technology. We’re all dependent on it, yet we’re not measuring the scale of our digital footprint.

The documentary ‘Frankenstream’ shed light on an alarming phenomenon: streaming, which alone accounts for almost 60% of global Internet traffic.  Each piece of data collected can travel up to 15,000 km before being stored in a data centre, often powered by fossil fuels.

Alya Bolowich, the LIST researcher who took part in the discussion, reminded us that Luxembourg has 9 data centres and that this figure could rise even higher with the forthcoming arrival of Google in the Grand Duchy. Ireland, champion in terms of the number of data centres in Europe, is now facing a threat both to the environment and to the country’s energy security, with data centres consuming 18% of national energy. So the more we continue to stream, the more likely we are to run out of electricity.

The figures revealed by the documentary are striking:

– 30 billion devices connected to the Internet in 2023, a number that could double by 2030;

– 3 to 4% of global CO2 emissions come from the digital sector, a trend that is set to increase sharply with the development of artificial intelligence;

– 60% of greenhouse gas emissions from the digital sector are due to the manufacture of equipment.

Programmed obsolescence: a regulated scourge?

The race to innovate is pushing us to renew our devices at a frenetic pace, with a phone replaced every 2-3 years on average. However, manufacturing a simple 2kg computer requires 700 times its weight in raw materials, the extraction of which is extremely polluting and is often located in a few strategic areas of the world, giving rise to major environmental and social impacts. The high concentration of certain resources, such as cobalt and rare earths, raises questions about sustainable supply, working conditions for miners and geopolitical stability.

Obsolescence, whether technical (software incompatibility), physical (fragile components) or psychological (aggressive marketing), is contributing to an explosion in electronic waste[1]. Today, only 22% of electronic waste is collected and recycled, and 60% ends up in unauthorised dumps like the one at Agbogbloshie in Ghana (more information in the documentary Welcome to Sodom).

Faced with this reality, the European Union is reacting with two new regulations:

– The ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation), due to come into force in 2025, will require manufacturers to make software updates available for at least 5 years after a device has ceased production;

– The Cyber Resilience Act, due to come into force in 2027, will require security updates to be provided free of charge for at least 10 years.

What can we do as users?

Without waiting for legislation, we can implement accessible actions, with simple everyday gestures to pollute less and extend the life of our devices, proposed by Daniel Waxweiler, software engineer at LIST and freelance consultant in information technology, also invited to the discussion:

– Closing unused tabs on our browsers to reduce energy consumption;

– Unsubscribing from useless newsletters and regularly emptying the recycle bin;

– Using Wi-Fi rather than the mobile network to watch videos (less energy consuming);

– Watching videos in low definition if HD is not essential, or even use sound only if possible;

– Opting for repairs rather than buying new;

– Giving preference to reconditioned and repairable products;

– Asking yourself before every purchase: do I really need it?

– Supporting stricter regulations on programmed obsolescence;

– Getting involved in local initiatives (recycling, repair cafés, awareness-raising);

– Putting pressure on companies to produce more responsibly.

A future in our hands

We face a crucial challenge: not to be devoured by the digital monster, but to use it as a powerful lever for action, rethought in a sustainable way. The transition to more responsible use will not happen without collective awareness and individual commitment.

There’s still time to act: every gesture counts and every choice makes a difference. Together, let’s reduce the digital footprint!

Transition Minett offers a number of Repair Cafés, some of which are concerning digital reparation, and if you want to switch to free and open source software, such as Linux or Libre Office, visit our workshop at Facilitec to help you make the switch!

If you’d like to find out more about the impact of digital technology and its solutions, join us at a digital mural on Thursday 27 March at Facilitec. Places are limited, so register now at jeanne@transition-minett.lu.

Loane N. – European volunteer working with Transition Minett

[1] Source : World Health Organisation

Categories
Blog Circular Economy Waste Reduction

Monday 17 February 2025 – the day Luxembourg has already used up its share of resources for the year

A cry of alarm or yet another reminder of a climate emergency that has become difficult to ignore. I found it difficult to write this article, not only because I feel that we are taking a step backwards, or at least that we haven’t done enough. But on reflection, this date is a challenge to us as citizens, because if not now, when?

From 17 February, Luxembourgers will be living on credit for the rest of the year in terms of the planet’s resources. Luxembourg is second on the podium, just behind Qatar and ahead of Singapore. Nothing to be proud of. 

Isn’t it time we, as citizens, took a long, hard look at ourselves?  Should we face ‘failure’ and forget all the efforts we have made alongside you? Because we needed to rationalise our actions as an association supporting citizens’ initiatives, we tried to identify all the signs that we had missed, all the people that we had not reached through our actions. And we have to admit that, despite all our scenarios, in the end we don’t now who to blame. Perhaps because we are all responsible.

This year, the day on which the Earth’s resources are exceeded comes three days earlier than in 2024. Just three days, which only serve to accentuate our need to act. Three short days that place Luxembourg as the second nation where our estimated consumption of renewable resources exceeds the Earth’s capacity to regenerate them in one year. This second place can be explained by our consumption of carbon-based energy, which is much higher than that of our neighbours. Or it could be due to the country’s strong car culture. For example, in 2024 the country had 678 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants1, for a population of almost 668,606[1], and that’s just one example among many.

What can we do now?

Transition Minett is you, it’s us. We thought you didn’t want to see yet another bad news in your actuality feed. But not to talk about it is to look the other way. Well, let’s keep on acting, trying and trying again so that in 2026 this date can be put back a few days. Let’s take action for the planet and for ourselves, through efforts that are big, small, individual or collective! We cannot hope for change without you, our citizens.

So, to the sceptics, the convinced, those who don’t have the time to get involved, those who have given up: speak up, get informed, let’s imagine a sustainable future and build it together, here and now!

Finally, because it’s important to look at what we can do better in the future, it’s also important to thank you and recognise what has had a positive impact on the Minett region and our consumption habits, whether less or better. Yes, we’ve got a long way to go before one day we’re no longer in second place in this ‘league table’, but we’ve also organised or co-organised impact events such as the gourmet walk, the AlimenTERRE Festival, Repair cafés, a visit to organic producers, second-hand markets, and YOU have developed initiatives for greener, more responsible neighbourhoods. In short, we can’t afford to be defeatist about this symbolic date. On the contrary, this is the time to redouble our efforts and to continue now, more than ever, what we have started – an ecological transition by you and for you.

To become a player in this transition, visit the citizen participation platform: participation.transition-minett.lu

*The overshoot day is calculated by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (in global hectares) by humanity’s ecological footprint (in global hectares), then multiplying by the number of days in a year, i.e. 365.

Visit the official website: overshoot.footprintnetwork.org.

Loane N. – European volunteer working with Transition Minett

[1] Source: World Bank data as of 2023

  1. Source: Eurostat ↩︎
Categories
Blog CASA Lallange

Discovering CASA Lallange

A group of residents from Lallange and the surrounding area got together to celebrate Liichtmëssdag. A procession of around thirty children and adults, carrying lanterns, shared a warm moment. This convivial event was also an opportunity to officially launch CASA Lallange, a meeting place designed by and for local residents.

What will CASA Lallange mean in concrete terms?

A place for residents of the Lallange neighbourhood to meet, exchange ideas, get information and take initiatives, where everyone is welcome and made to feel welcome. This initiative was born out of the desire of local residents to get involved.

Here’s a look back at the friendly atmosphere that brought young and old together.

The aims of La CASA Lallange are to :

– Enable local residents to get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere, through regular drop-in sessions run by volunteers.

– Promote social interaction and encourage environmental awareness in the neighbourhood.

– Encourage residents to take the initiative and organise their own activities and projects, according to their interests and skills.

– To act as a relay for other existing initiatives and services, through collaboration with other associations or the town of Esch, by offering them visibility and space in Lallange.

For the moment, La CASA Lallange does not have a dedicated space. However, if you would like to talk to the citizens involved in this project, please feel free to drop by the Jardin des 4 Coins du Monde on Sunday mornings (opposite 16, rue Dr Émile Colling, 4069 Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg).

If you have a question and/or would like more information about CASA Lallange, please write to contact(@)casa-lallange.lu.

A big thank you to Lallange School, which agreed to host the final rally of the Liichtmëssdag walk!

Categories
Blog Circular Economy Waste Reduction

The Digital Clean-up Day Campaign that’s right for you

On 15 March, we’re holding a day to raise awareness of the environmental footprint of digital technology. Being concerned about the environment also means being aware of our digital usage.

This day is part of an awareness-raising initiative aimed at contributing to responsible digital use. It’s a great opportunity to share some convivial moments with you on this theme during the week from 10th to 14th March. We’ve already come up with a number of events where we can discuss the steps, we can all take, at our own level, to reduce the amount of waste we store online, but we invite you to share your ideas as well.

In concrete terms, when we talk about being more aware of our digital responsibilities, we’re thinking of deleting the message archives that we keep preciously on our phones ‘just in case’. Spoiler alert: we hardly ever use these archives… We also think of all the e-mails we open without ever deleting them, or the hundreds of newsletters we receive every week: ever more numerous, ever more polluting.

But beyond the mental burden that this over-solicitation imposes on us, there is a very real, measurable impact that we often choose to ignore: digital pollution. For example, do you know how much CO2 an e-mail emits?

In 2022, the carbon base of the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) offered an assessment of the carbon footprint of an e-mail:

– A simple e-mail emits 4g of CO2.

– An e-mail with an attachment emits 35g of CO2.

– A spam email emits 0.3g of CO2.

For TikTok videos, which generally last between 15 and 60 seconds, the carbon footprint per video would be approximately between 0.73 and 2.92 grams of CO₂. This footprint can vary depending on the quality of the video and the connection mode (Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G).

On a global scale, with more than 1.5 billion users in 2024, TikTok would be responsible for emitting around 50 million tonnes of CO₂ per year, a carbon footprint comparable to that of Greece!1

Beyond direct pollution, it is crucial to consider the data storage space required by these billions of users. Because if one thing is certain, it’s that nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is stored!

Imagine that all the data not stored on your personal devices, but in the Cloud, is stored in data centres, which themselves consume a lot of energy. These facilities require a constant power supply and air conditioning to prevent the equipment from overheating.

In short, you’ve got it: so many factors and emissions linked to our digital consumption that we don’t even realise have an impact on the environment, but they are very real.

Because Transition Minett wants to initiate events based on your ideas, we are listening to any suggestions you may have on the theme of digital pollution. What topics or issues would you like to see addressed during the week of 10 to 14 March? Or perhaps you have an activity or action in mind that we could set up together?

We are also planning to organise a screening of a documentary on the digital footprint. What kind of discussions or animation would you like to see after this screening?

Feel free to submit your ideas on our participative platform: participation.transition-minett.lu or by email to comm@transition-minett.lu

💡So get on your keyboards and share your best ideas with us!

  1. Source: novethic.fr ↩︎
Categories
Blog MESA

André Zewen: An Organic Walnut Farmer Tackling Environmental Challenges

Get to know André Zewen, who has spent 42 years cultivating walnuts while staying true to his vision of sustainable farming in harmony with nature. Despite facing a particularly tough year with harvests halved, André remains steadfast in his commitment to producing high-quality organic products and preserving biodiversity.

Adapting to Climate Challenges with Resilient Agriculture

The canton of Vianden has a rich tradition of walnut farming dating back to 1934, when the first walnut market was held, now the largest annual gathering of producers in the region. Located in Fouhren, André Zewen’s small walnut farm supplies products to the MESA grocery store.

This year, walnut harvests in the canton reached just 10% of their usual levels. André’s own yield dropped from 10 tons in previous years to 6 tons. A wet winter, spring frosts that damaged buds, and previous dry summers weakening the trees were to blame. “We’re in a transitional period. Some walnut varieties handle these conditions better than others, but we need to support them,” he shares.

Despite these setbacks, André is focused on building a diverse and resilient farm. Harvesting walnuts from multiple plots helps reduce losses during extreme weather events. Yet, climate change poses increasing challenges.

“In the early ‘80s, when I began, the walnut varieties we used suited the climate. Today, rising temperatures are disrupting this balance. We need to observe and adapt,” he says. Even after this difficult year, André remains hopeful. “Good and bad years are part of farming, but what we’re seeing now is different. Nature is changing, and we must change with it.”

Choosing Organic: A Logical and Committed Decision

On his 23 hectares, home to 1,150 walnut trees that he planted himself, André strictly avoids chemical treatments, including copper, even though it is permitted in organic farming. His holistic approach prioritizes protecting his sheep, maintaining healthy soil, and providing wholesome products. Labor-intensive manual sorting ensures top-quality walnuts, which are pressed into natural oil highly sought after by individuals and organic wholesalers alike.

For André, organic farming isn’t a marketing gimmick; it’s a way of life. “Organic isn’t an ideology—it’s understanding how life works. Everything in our economy depends on nature: if we harm it, we harm ourselves. Caring for nature is an investment in the future.” Producing organically is, for him, about respect and understanding. “Sure, we could use chemical fertilizers or irrigation to increase yields, but at what cost? These methods weaken trees and invite diseases.”

André prioritizes sustainability over high yields. Every step of his process is designed to minimize environmental impact: the walnuts are washed, air-dried for four days, and then pressed to create premium oil. He also ensures that no part of the walnut goes to waste. Fresh walnuts, while less popular due to their short shelf life, complement dried walnuts, which store well in their shells. The oil, known for its subtle flavor and health benefits, retains its nutritional properties through natural processing. Packed with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in a near-perfect ratio of 5:1, walnut oil is also recognized for helping reduce bad cholesterol.

André’s Advice

Walnut oil is ideal for enhancing lamb’s lettuce, endive, or raw red cabbage salads. As a delicate oil, it should never be heated. Store dried walnuts in a cool, dry place, and keep the oil refrigerated and tightly sealed after each use. Proper storage ensures it stays fresh for up to 18 months.

For more information, visit André Zewen’s website: https://www.zewen.lu

Categories
Blog Waste Reduction

Waste Reduction Week is over, but action is all year round

With the European Week for Waste Reduction having just ended at virtually the same time as COP 29, we continue to move dangerously close to a point of no return in terms of the use of limited natural resources. Added to this are international geopolitical challenges that are taking us further and further away from the environmental issue. One of the key questions on which neither of the two events made any real progress was how to finally change our consumption habits.

During this European Week for Waste Reduction, we have tried to raise your awareness through facts and quizzes. But beyond raising awareness, it’s possible to take a small step towards the transition every day. Because this transition is first and foremost yours, we asked you what you do to reduce waste on a daily basis.

For Elisabeth and Marcus1, one of the solutions they try to apply on a daily basis is to barter timeless objects such as clothes, board games or books. Objects that, when they’re not damaged, can be used by others almost infinitely. Rico avoids wrapping fruit and vegetables when he has to buy them in the supermarket. Louise is learning how to make her own cosmetics and cleaning products. Valentin uses glass jars and a water bottle on a daily basis. Daphnée refuses to take single-use bags in the shops and buys her clothes almost exclusively at second-hand shops or on second-hand apps.

As you can see, we’re all doing something, big or small, to reduce our waste. This week, we haven’t tried to make you feel guilty. On the contrary, if you have retained even a single piece of information, we have already done our part: supporting you in your transition.

And because we also wanted to share with you our actions to reduce waste on a daily basis, here are the top 10 tips!

1. Selective sorting – It sometimes requires a bit of thought and discussion, but you soon get the hang of it, and it’s still the most accessible way of contributing to the recycling of our waste.

2. Barter – a system that has existed since the dawn of time, remains an effective alternative. In practical terms, this means exchanging goods for other goods: an object for an object, a service for an object, or dropping an object into one of our Giveboxes.

3. Bulk – To avoid single-use products and packaging, bulk is an excellent option, available in particular at MESA.

4. Second-hand – Very much in vogue these days, second-hand offers a new lease of life to our objects and clothes. Going to a flea market or garage sale is another way of buying second-hand. In fact, we’ve created a map listing second-hand shops in Luxembourg. 

5. Eco-refills and homemade products – Making your own cleaning products or cosmetics is the best way to know what you’re applying to your skin or using in your home.  If you’re interested, Ahoua offers workshops where you can learn how to make your own products. 
For more information, visit missbak.com.

6. Zero Waste Dinners – These solidarity dinners allow people to share unsold or uneaten food in the shops, while reducing food waste. On the last Sunday of each month, MESA hosts events organised by Foodsharing Luxembourg. 

7. Repair instead of throwing away – This is possible thanks to the Repair Cafés organised throughout Luxembourg, or simply at home, by borrowing tools via the Gutt Geschier initiative.

8. Buy better to buy less – In an ideal world, we would have to review our consumption system to reduce our waste production and our impact. Responsible consumption means buying less but better. By reducing quantity and increasing quality, we can have a long-term impact on the overproduction and overconsumption of waste.

9. Composting – Although it requires a certain amount of organisation, composting is an excellent way of reducing organic waste. If you’re interested, a workshop to raise awareness of living soils will be held at MESA on 10 December.

Read more: Living soil workshop at MESA

10. Digital sorting – What’s digital got to do with it? What could be better than doing something while waiting for the bus, in the doctor’s waiting room or waiting for the washing machine to finish because it’s been due for 10 minutes? In short, you can use this time to delete unnecessary e-mails, unsubscribe from newsletters that no longer interest you (not the Transition Minett one, which is still relevant ;)), and clean out your photo gallery. This reduces server congestion and environmental impact.

Acting together

We’ve already launched a number of initiatives to reduce our waste and consume responsibly. On 1 December, the ‘alternative’ Christmas market, organised by residents for residents, will take place at Pavillon 5 (access from side 1, rue Arthur Useldinger, Esch-sur-Alzette). The market highlights second-hand consumption and offers an alternative to our model of over-consumption, which is particularly marked during the festive season.

Read more: Discover the Christmas Market in a different way… By and for local residents

The list could go on, but taking action is better than just reading or talking. So it’s up to you now! We’re already very proud of you, because you’re leading the transition.

1 The names have been changed

Categories
Circular Economy Planned Obsolescence

Eco-citizen initiatives as solutions to planned obsolescence

Sébastien Kanarek, head of Facilitec’s participatory workshop, was one of the guest speakers at the round table on ‘Obsolescence and the circular economy: between environmental challenges and economic and social opportunities’, organised by the Circular Innovation Hub of the City of Wiltz and Infogreen on 15 October at Wiltz Castle. The event provided an opportunity to present concrete Transition Minett projects linked to the circular economy.

Planned Obsolescence: What is it?

First, let’s take a step back in time. The term ‘planned obsolescence’ has been around for almost 100 years. It first appeared in 1925 in Stuart Chase’s book The Tragedy of Waste, and then with Bernard London, an American developer who put words to the concept. In 1930, Lewis Mumford, a technology specialist, also criticised the phenomenon of planned obsolescence, which he saw as growing in parallel with the development of technology. A bit of history later, one question remains unanswered: from 1925 to the present day, how did we go from technological development to the hyperproduction of waste?

Where do we stand today?

There is still a great deal of work to be done, particularly to change consumer habits. Regulations are major levers for encouraging virtuous consumption. While the solution cannot be found overnight, the Transition Minett collaborative workshop at Facilitec, the circular economy centre, is one of several initiatives that are giving concrete expression to this growing awareness.

First of all, we need to look at planned obsolescence not as a single action, but rather as a series of different types of planned obsolescence, whether technical, software-related or aesthetic. With the criteria set out above, we can see that this practice has become, despite ourselves, a phenomenon in its own right. According to Catherine Phillips, Head of Legal Affairs at the Consumer Protection Directorate, who was also a guest at the round table, planned obsolescence is a factor in renewing the needs of consumers, who may therefore suffer from a lack of transparency.

Regulatory work, in particular with the ‘Right to Repair’ directive, which aims to encourage consumers to extend the life cycle of products through repair, provides a virtuous framework for the life of objects. In Luxembourg, we are seeing a delay in the introduction of regulations on planned obsolescence. On the other hand, legislation in France and Belgium seems to have already taken a step forward, in France with an explicit definition of the term ‘planned obsolescence’ in the Consumer Code. Belgium was the second country to adopt a reparability index for household appliances (the index is due to come into force in 2026)[1]. In short, we can see that Luxembourg has a considerable amount of catching up to do, penalising consumers at the same time.

So, while public authorities are increasingly encouraging us to change our consumption patterns, we can all act now, thanks to citizen initiatives.

What can i do? Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed!

Today, 6,000 tonnes of electronic waste are produced every year! To reduce this figure, consumers need to adopt various alternatives. What if, instead of renewing an object and indirectly contributing to the phenomenon of planned obsolescence, we were to suggest ways of extending the life of objects?

Repairs and second-hand goods are concrete ways of promoting sensible consumption, to have an impact on the lifespan of products and therefore reduce waste. That’s what our participative workshop is all about, while adding a social approach, with exchanges between citizens and volunteers. This initiative also has an economic impact, by reducing personal purchases in favour of goods that could be used by a larger number of people. And last but not least, there’s the undeniable ecological impact of this initiative. We are helping to extend the useful life of objects and reduce waste production.

In practical terms, Transition Minett is proposing to look at ways of extending the life of objects that are little used on a daily basis, using the Gutt Geschier (the right tools) tool library, set up in collaboration with EBL. More generally, Facilitec is helping to promote the 5Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot), which are fundamental to acting responsibly in the face of ever-increasing waste production. Other inspiring eco-citizen initiatives, such as the Repair Café project, were highlighted during the round table by Léonard Andersen, coordinator of the Repair Café Luxembourg project and the Citizen for Ecological Learning & Living (CELL). We can also mention the various initiatives of the National Comity of Social Defense (CNDS), represented by its Director Raoul Schaaf during this exchange, which demonstrates the possibilities of linking ecology to social inclusion.

Read also: Repair Café – Learning to repair to extend the life of our objects


Interested in the collaborative workshop or need a tool?

Come and discover or rediscover Facilitec at 37B rue de la Fontaine in Esch-sur-Alzette (access on rue Berwart).

Opening times:
Monday and Thursday: 2pm-8pm
Tuesday and Wednesday: 1.30pm-5pm
Friday: 9am-4.30pm
Weekends closed, except for events and the last Sunday of the month (workshop open from 2pm to 5pm).

And because we’re not the only ones working for the circular economy in Esch, we invite you to discover these projects if you don’t already know about them!

Centre Formida, FerroForum (a third-party metal workshop), CIGL Esch, SIVEC Schifflange, the Give Boxes: at the Kufa, the Mesa, and one for books at Place de l’Hôtel de Ville.

We would like to extend our warmest thanks to the Circular Innovation Hub of the municipality of Wiltz and the InfoGreen media for inviting us to this round table.

[1] Source: press release from Zakia Khattabi, Belgium’s Minister for Climate, the Environment, Sustainable Development and the Green Deal.

Categories
Blog

Buy less and more consciously: a “trend” that will help your wardrobe…and the ecology!

This is the first of a short series of articles on ecology in Luxembourg. Over the next few weeks until the end of June, I’ll be taking you on a journey of discovery on a variety of topics, starting with fast fashion, and then moving on to food, mobility, and more!

To find out more about the problem, just pass by “rue de l’Alzette” in Esch

In Luxembourg alone, the average person throws away 12 kilos of clothes a year, of which only 1% is recycled1. So where does the rest go?

This is the question that the exhibition “The Revival“, on display until May 11th in the former Sephora building (69 rue de l’Alzette) in Esch, seeks to answer.

Observation, reflection, and hope for a change: that’s the aim of this interactive exhibition, which shows the impact of fast fashion on other countries, such as Ghana.

As we all know, most of the clothes we buy at low prices from fast fashion chains are not produced ethically, either from a social/human point of view (such as the Rana Plaza accident, considered one of the biggest disasters in the fashion world) or from an environmental point of view (pollution and waste of vast water resources).


Photo of the revival exhibition. Ghana is one of the many landfill sites in the country where over-consumption is not generated directly, and discarded clothes are imported from global “North” countries.

Our most powerful weapon: our conscience

Although much progress has been made in recent years to regulate the impact of the fashion industry, there is still a long way to go. So how can we help?

We can start by committing to the path of sobriety, which is necessary if we want to create a positive impact and change the fashion industry.

However, the concepts of ‘sobriety’ and ‘minimalism’, which are in direct contrast to the consumerist society we live in, often have a negative connotation. We associate ‘owning less’ with a form of failure or social status that we reject. On the contrary, it could be an opportunity to free our minds, lighten our budgets, and save precious time.

The most effective solution is certainly to change our shopping habits and the way we dress. That’s why we need to ask ourselves some essential questions before we purchase an article: “Why am I buying it? Is it really useful? Will I still be wearing it in a few years? Is it made from sustainable materials?

One way to solve the problem: create a capsule wardrobe!

Photo: the beginning of the presentation led by Adelaide Dubucq in the Lëtz’ Refashion Luxembourg boutique.

To learn how to shop differently, I went to Lët’z Refashion by Caritas in Luxembourg City, a boutique-atelier dedicated to circular fashion. As part of the “Rethink your clothes” campaign, I took part in the “How to create your own capsule wardrobe” workshop with Adélaïde Dubucq, image consultant and founder of Relooking and Queen.

The event was instructive in many ways: I learned that, on average, each of us has around 70% of unwanted clothes in our wardrobe that end up being thrown away. To avoid this issue, Adélaïde Dubucq explained the importance of creating a ‘capsule wardrobe’, a wardrobe made up of a few essential items that can be worn for any occasion. The keywords are comfort, minimalism, creativity, and style. We only need 40 pieces in our closet – between clothes and accessories – that are easily interchangeable and combinable with each other. They should mostly be in neutral basic colors, but let’s not forget about our favorite unique and colorful pieces! This number, which may seem relatively small, is ideal for avoiding the “paradox of choice” that we face every day when we have to decide what to wear among the thousands of different items we possess.


Photo: spaces in the Letz’ Refashion boutique

Following trends and constantly updating our wardrobes doesn’t necessarily mean dressing fashionably or with style. Finding your style is essential if you don’t want to fall into the trap of “wanting to own everything you see in the shop window or online”.

So what do you do with the clothes you don’t need? Here are some ideas:

Create a stock, pack them up, and physically give them to organizations like Caritas, or sell them on platforms like Vinted or Facebook Market, sell them at flea markets, swap them at swap parties, or simply give them to friends and family or people in need.

On this occasion, I learned that even though it’s hard to make a change, it’s always less complicated than you think. And our smallest actions can have a huge impact, not just on our own lives, but on the lives of others…

I look forward to seeing you back here on the Transition Minett website to follow me on the next adventure and discover more about the ecological transition in Luxembourg!

To go even further:

  1. source: Exhibition “The Revival” by caritas Luxembourg ↩︎