GET TO KNOW RAW PROJECT !

In the context of excessive pressure on and exploitation of the environment and natural resources, the circular economy emerges as a solution to counter these effects by enabling economic growth without depleting natural resources. It does so through resource efficiency, reuse-based systems, and waste reduction practices that do not harm the environment. The circular economy represents a shift in socio-economic and industrial philosophy, making it essential to educate and actively involve both citizens and businesses. The RAW project approaches the circular economy from a smart waste-management perspective, analyzing current practices implemented by SMEs in this field.

RAW: Raising Awareness on Efficient Waste Management is a project designed to increase awareness of effective waste management among trade professionals, regional development agencies, local authorities, business development centers, as well as VET staff, trainers, and mentors. RAW aims to break traditional waste-management habits by promoting shared responsibility and cooperation between municipalities and entrepreneurs. The RAW consortium launched its activities on January 1, 2022, and will run for 24 months, bringing together partners carefully selected from different regions of Europe (Poland, Portugal, Spain, Bulgaria, Türkiye, and Hungary) for their extensive experience in the circular economy.

RAW will produce two key outputs. The first is the Circular Economy Strategies Guide for Business Environments, which will serve as a methodological guide with case studies of professionals already demonstrating sustainable approaches in their work, and will include a digital acceleration course. The second output is a Circular Economy Awareness Application designed to directly respond to the needs of the target groups. This platform will integrate micro-learning units, accelerated learning modules, knowledge checks, a strategy-building tool to support transition processes, and a gamified ecological footprint tracker that demonstrates, for example, how user actions translate into water savings.

Overall, the innovative tools developed within the RAW project aim to raise awareness among the public and business community about the importance of taking action and applying circular economy principles in daily life—ultimately achieving meaningful change and delivering positive outcomes for the environment.