Circular economy

• Describe the cycle in nature:

  The plant grows, the animal eats the plant, the animal eats another animal, that animal dies, decomposes into the soil, the cycle starts again and the plant grows
• In contrast, describe the approach taken by humans:

  Take, Make, Dispose
• What is the negative impact of the approach taken by humans?

  The throw-away culture leads to a filled landfill and the destruction of the ecosystem.
• What could work instead?

  It’s about all of the companies that form our economy, they all need to work together to ensure renewable energy is used in production and recyclable materials are used in the product itself
• How could our waste build capital, rather than reduce it?

  A zero-waste approach, rethink ownership… if companies still own the products and we essentially ‘rent’ them, when they are not in use by us as consumers, the companies can re-use the parts.
• What new way can be adopted with regard to valuable plastics, metals and alloys (so as to maintain quality and continue to be useful beyond the shelf life of their products)?

  A return and renew cycle where products are designed to be disassembled and renewed by companies
• What is the circular economy about:

  The continual cycle of reuse and remanufacture without using wasteful resources or having products end their life in landfill.

  Rather than having the ‘take, make, dispose’ mentality, fully reusing items.
• In a circular economy products, parts and materials are kept at their highest utility and value at all times, circulating between customers, maintaining value while minimizing waste and the use of finite resources.