In honour of National Tree Planting Day, it seems only fair to talk about how we, as a society, might move towards a way of living in harmony with nature instead of how we currently choose to use the Earth, which, let’s be honest, is destroying it… rapidly.
Enter, the concept of a circular economy. The insurgence and popularisation of environmentalism have caused a few buzz words to pop up every now and again. Circular economy and zero waste living are definitely on this list, but many do not actually know what these concepts mean or entail. Often, vague statements with very little useful information are given which create further confusion and resistence in the face of climate action.
So, let’s break it down. Circular economy, also known as circularity, is a system that aims to tackle climate issues such as pollution, global warming, climate change and waste, by encouraging the reuse, repurposing, recycling and sharing of materials and goods. Instead of buying a new dishwasher when your old one stops working, try to have it fixed. Hand down old electronic devices to friends and family. Reupholster old or worn furniture instead of purchasing more.
We currrently live in a linear economy. We manufacture goods, use them and once they are of no more use, we throw them out and upgrade to a newer, shinier model. This is all well and good, except the toll on the environment is astronomical because the average lifespan of our belongings (phones, clothes, furniture) has dramatically decreased in past decades, meaning our average waste output has dramatically increased. The process is often summarised as “take, make, waste”.
The concept of circular economy posits that instead of discarding old or unwanted goods, we find ways to repurpose, reuse or fix them. This is generalised as the “take , make, dispose” system which puts any waste items through a waste valorisaiton which allows waste and energy to become input for other processes such as compost or scrapped parts used in other manufacturing.
Okay, now we have an idea of what a circular economy actually entails, here lies the million dollar question. Is it actually possible for the entire world to shift to a circular economy. The short answer, yes. However, whether the world will shift, is an entirely different story.
Many businesses have taken to employing circularity in their business models and while studies have shown that the transition from linear to circular can be a slow one, it is entirely doable. A large part of the battle with things such as this, is changing the societal mindset around them. It is, in large part, a mental gain. We must remind ourselves that the choices we make as individuals do matter and that we have a social responsibility to look after our home. Massive amounts of change have started with a single person.
We must ask ourselves: If not now, when? If not me, who?