September 22, 2022

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Why Are Circular Systems Important To Achieve Our Sustainability Goals Faster?

Circularity and Sustainability go hand in hand. It is a simple concept highlighting the comparative advantage of circular and linear systems. A circular flow of resources enables healthier and more responsible handling of the most precious: our Earth. Our global economic model is not only damaging the Earth’s capabilities to regenerate, but also does not contribute to the well-being of people. Circularity is increasingly gaining attention to restore the Earth’s capabilities and contribute to a better world. It might not be obvious we are in an era of scarcity where we live over our budget and gamble away our future.
Written by Veronika Tietz

Our existence depends on circular systems. Be it that we live on a round planet. The invention of the wheel or simple toys like a ball. All of them fundamentally impacted humanity’s development and moved us around the world. Truly, circular flow is simply natural and beneficial for our development. So why isn’t it the circularity norm?

Circularity is a bottom-line concept in the Sustainability space. Without it, we cannot achieve the sustainable goals we strive for. Why is that? Good things take time. An often overlooked point is that the Earth’s systems are circular. Over billions of years, circular systems enabled the prosperity of life. The history of life is so rich and diverse because it took time for them to be established.

Circular design became very popular and nature is our best teacher. To do our job well, we need to adapt to natural systems and use their valuable knowledge to create systems that benefit everyone and everything.

What is the definition of circular?

In its simplest form circular or circularity is defined as the shape of a circle. In a context of a system, circularity refers to the practice of closed-loop systems.

Often, you will come across words starting with “Re” when describing circular systems like recycle, reuse, remanufacture etc. I wrote an article focusing on the Rs of Sustainability, see it here: The Rs Of Sustainability: The Best Effective Way To Apply Them

Most popular framework for circular economy

Most prominently, the Ellen McArthur Foundation is devoted to educating about circular systems in the economy. A widely-used visualisation is the butterfly diagram which refers to the continuous flow of resources on our planet. On the right side, is the technical cycle where products and materials are circularly connected through processes like recycling, reuse, and repair. On the left side, the biological cycle refers to the nutrients from biodegradable resources which stay in the Earth’s systems to regenerate nature.

Circular Economy

Visualisation of the circular economy by the Ellen McArthur Foundation

 

In a bigger context, circular systems aim to incorporate waste products back into the system and maximise the reuse of resources. Our planet has an abundance of resources that are finite and infinite. Without circular systems, resources can exhaust fast. A circular economy supports solid sustainability strategies which enable us to handle our natural resources conscientiously. Therefore, a sustainable economy has to be based on profound natural laws.

For this reason, a circular economy is a systems solution framework that has the power to solve our world’s challenges like the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, waste problem and pollution. All those problems are derived from poorly managed industries that enhance rather than solve our challenges. A circular economy can be applied to any industry because all industries depend on our Earth’s resources and functioning systems.

Is resilience the new sustainable?

Resilience is an important attribute when it comes to circular systems. It refers to the capacity of being able to recover quickly from difficulties. Toughness is a good word to describe resilience because we all know life’s not easy. 

Maybe you’ve experienced it yourself when you live closer to natural areas, or you use escapes into nature to tank up your energy levels. The closer we are to nature, the more resilient we become. No wonder doctors are prescribing a walk in nature.

A resilient system has the capability to sustain itself and benefit every part involved in it. 

Why do we need circularity?

To understand why we need circularity,  we have to ask: what is the problem? The problem is an uncontrolled and excessive influence of human actions on our natural systems. We have made it so far by ripping off the Earth’s capability to regenerate itself. Hence, we are not only damaging our Earth, but also our livelihoods.

If you are interested in the importance of resource use and the regenerating capability of our Earth, I recommend that you check out the Global Footprint Network. They also provide information on “when humanity has used all the biological resources that Earth regenerates during the entire year”: Earth Overshoot Day.

Right now, we are consuming more resources than Earth can regenerate. The Earth Overshoot Day landed on the 28th of July 2022. It’s like eating in a nice restaurant without paying the bill.

A primary aim of a transition towards circularity is to decouple economic activity from the use of finite resources. Unfortunately, the capitalistic lifestyle depends on the massively excessive use of resources. 

To be honest with you, I grew up and still live in capitalistic structures and it’s not worth it. Sure, it might be hypocritical of me, but I try to make a difference and many others do as well. It won’t come overnight unless we make it possible. Finding solutions to reliance on Earth’s finite resources is what we have to achieve.

Understanding our limits on Earth will reveal the solutions we need

Our excessive resource use is pushing our planetary boundaries to their limits. The Earth has finite and infinite resources. Sadly, we are already in trouble with our infinite resources because we pollute our air, water and soils. This exhausts the Earth’s capability to provide us with timber, food, freshwater etc. If you’re curious about the limits of our planet, I will leave you a link to my article Why We Need To Understand The Planetary Boundaries.

In effect, resource scarcity and the negative environmental impacts on the world’s economies are fueling our diversity of crises. A diversity we might not be able to reverse anymore. Therefore, the solution is to identify the exploitative relationship between economic growth, consumption and the use of natural resources. What harm does economic growth do? What are the unacceptable impacts of consumption? How do they occur? How can we solve them? What are sustainable ways to handle our natural resources? 

I’ve never been a fan of non-explanatory calls for action because I don’t feel like they relate to me. What helps, is to change the way we talk about Sustainability and how to avoid the point of no return. For this reason, I created a Sustainability Wordlist to inspire you to use the words which help us bring prosperity.


Sustainability Wordlist

Circularity can be based upon three principles

In a circular system, every part can fulfil its potential. No waste. No stress. No damage. Circularity is smooth and constantly brings beneficial results. There are three important circularity principles:

  1. Elimination of waste and pollution
  2. Circulation of resources (products and materials) at their highest value
  3. Regenerate nature

A good world is waste-free and circular.

What needs to be done?

In essence, we have to stay within the limits of our planet. It is not an easy task according to the circumstances. Our excessive lifestyles are not worth the future pain if we choose inaction.

Eight billion people can make a big difference, but some carry more responsibility than others. We have to restructure how we manage our resources, how we produce our living essentials and how we put them back into the system. 

Implementing circularity into everything we do will help us create the sustainable systems our lives depend on. Transforming our take-make-waste systems into circular ones should be on the agenda for everyone. 

As an individual, it can be confusing to find a spot where your actions will bear fruit. No worries, it’s not always about massive change. Little steps are as fruitful as creating a better world. Trying to understand the harmful and damaging patterns is a step in the right direction to avoiding them. 

 

Three articles which help you understand systems better are linked below:

Systems Theory: 5 Helpful Steps To Understand The Concept Of Systems Better

Systems Thinking: Why Systems Thinking Is So Useful To Achieve Sustainability

Systems in Action:  How To Easily Apply Systems Thinking In Your Life

Those articles will help you to understand systems better and find the right solutions which are overall beneficial. 

What are the opportunities to apply circularity?

The narrative about what needs to be done to save the world is quite incomprehensible. We live in societies that are based on social and environmental exploitation. It is not very aspirational to continue, right? 

A sustainable transition will not only help us shape a better and fairer world, but also give us opportunities to prosper and thrive. In general, some of the opportunities are creating fulfilling jobs, resilient systems, decreasing waste and pollution and connecting back with nature. 

From a forward-thinking perspective, we can start another era of ingenuity and creativity. Interesting fields are material sciences, sustainable business models and digital technologies. From a lifestyle perspective, we can create better lives for everyone. There are no limits to the possibilities because Sustainability takes forever.

It’s incomprehensible to think that humanity’s next step to greatness is to populate other planets, even though we already have everything we need. We simply need to relearn how to take care of the Earth so that it can take care of us. Reciprocal endeavours…

Lessons from nature can serve as guidance

The best teacher we have when it comes to circularity is our beloved nature. We don’t need the craziest inventions to tackle our crisis. We simply have to take a step back and take inspiration from an entity which figured it out millions of years ago. 

Nature renews and regenerates itself by cycling resources back into new or existing systems. 

Moreover, nature needs to be protected and extended. Instead of destroying more natural areas, we need to give a big chunk of it back. Nature protects us so we have to protect her as well. 

Recycling carbon is a big task, but to be honest it’s a bit pathetic that we have to use so much energy, resources and money to cut our carbon. Nature developed natural cycles to keep the carbon cycle steady. It’s simple, not difficult, and money isn’t the answer.

Turning the most challenging waste into a value is an area which needs specialists. Nuclear, mining, industry and chemical waste are immense projects to be tackled. It needs to be done properly and without compromise.

My favourite lesson from nature: keep it simple. Circularity doesn’t need to be difficult, it can be as simple as revitalising grass areas, building grass roofs or installing solar panels. There are billions of possibilities for us to engage in creating a circular, thus better world. 

Life can be wonderful if we make it happen.

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Right Here Right Now: Add This Inspiring Book To Your Sustainability Book List

In this day and age, we need influential and meaningful calls to action. With her second book ‘Right Here Right Now’, Natalie Isaacs shares her and the wisdom of other women in fighting the climate crisis. She is the founder of the global climate action movement 1 Million Women. By introducing you to her book, I hope that it will be as inspiring to you as it was to me. Even better, I attended her book launch event in Brisbane. Hence, I want to share my impressions with you. So, let’s find your potential to lead the way to solve our societal challenges.

Climate Anxiety First Aid Kit: Do Not Let Climate Panic Become The Norm

Climate anxiety is a relatively new phenomenon. It occurs when people increasingly see, hear or read bad news about environmental impacts in connection with the climate crisis. Consequently, people are scared of the consequences that make the future look grim. Negative emotions like distress, anger and hopelessness contribute to a spiral of worries that might have a bigger impact on their life than the effects of the climate crisis. Luckily, there are different and simple ways to deal with climate anxiety. No one has to suffer in silence, but it means taking action and taking matters into our hands.

How An Improved Definition Of Sustainability Will Actually Save The World

Sustainability is minimised to dealing responsibly with our resources for our and our future generations (plants, animals and resources included). It is more than simply ticking the boxes. It’s about finding the right balance between social, environmental and economic Sustainability. The latter is not even crucial for our existence, but we give most of our attention to economic development. More importantly, we need to switch the focus on ecological and human health and vitality. Profit can only exist with people and the planet. So let’s change our understanding of Sustainability to create a world that suits us all and not an economic model.

Abundant Thinkers In A (Resource) Scarce World

There is enough for everyone in terms of infinite resources like love, joy, money, and success. An abundant mindset allows for positivity and resilience to thrive and this attribute is urgently needed to achieve sustainable outcomes all over the world. We are consuming finite resources like there’s no tomorrow but are very frugal with abundant resources. Funny, isn’t it? Developing an abundant mindset in the right direction will allow us to become the solution providers we need. You can see them as real heroes. I bet you can become one of them. Let me inspire you to become an abundant thinker in a resource-scarce world.

From A Carbon Tunnel Vision To A Holistic Collaboration Approach

Sustainable development has a very carbon-heavy taste to it. It has already been recognised that we need to move beyond the carbon-only approaches; to achieve effective, sustainable outcomes. What we experience globally is a Carbon Tunnel Vision. It’s a clever play on words to highlight our selective attention on mostly Net-Zero Goals. The Carbon Tunnel Vision framework aims to open our eyes to other human and natural crises. Global warming is only one part of the interconnected crises. Let’s not get trapped and miss our chances to fight our challenges effectively. I want to show you how easy this can be by taking a more holistic and collaborative approach.

How To Easily Apply Systems Thinking In Your Life

Applying systems thinking doesn’t have to turn into rocket science. The simple basis is to understand the concept of systems then you’re sweet to go. Systems thinking provides new opportunities by understanding the situation and scope of a problem. It is a holistic approach to developing solutions that fit. How to intervene and achieve the best outcomes by incorporating all aspects of a system is one of the many strengths of systems thinking. It builds a base for continuous improvement and makes it easier for us to achieve our Sustainability goals. I’m looking forward to showing you an easy approach to applying systems thinking!

The Rs Of Sustainability: The Most Effective Way To Apply Them

It’s not always obvious how we can achieve our Sustainability goals. A big help is principles we can use to help us. In the Sustainability space, the Rs of Sustainability have established themselves to be a successful way. Can you easily relate to the three common Rs of Sustainability: Reduce, reuse, and recycle? Sometimes I feel like those principles are not easily applicable in my life. Don’t worry, I found an effective way to personalise your own set of Rs of Sustainability. It won’t only help you to implement Sustainability easier but also embrace the diversity of what you can do to achieve Sustainability.

A Sustainable 2023 Starts With You! Create A Future To Look Forward To

Are you looking forward to 2023? I hope so. Now more than ever, we need encouraged and motivated people to make a difference. To contribute to our planet – the paradise which sustains our lives. Although there are many ways to be sustainable, we overlook one: how you can make a meaningful impact. I do not mean recycling or going zero waste. What I mean is who you are as a person. How do you fit in with your uniqueness and strengths? Sustainability has all opportunities open for you. What matters is if you are willing to discover them.

Did The Patagonia Founder Pave A Way To A Sustainable Future?

In our fast-moving world, it is easy to jump from news to news. Unfortunately, it means that we often neglect important information. In that context, I feel like the news about the Patagonia founder was swept under the rug too quickly. Do you remember what happened? Don’t worry if you don’t because I want to bring up this old news again. Non-billionaire Yvon Chouinard decided to give away his company, Patagonia, to tackle the climate crisis. It is a significant decision because perhaps we are dealing with a pioneering act that might shake up the business world. If we don’t let it fall into oblivion.

Sustainability Thinking: The World Is Ending. What Are You Taking With You?

In view of the many crises we need to overcome, it can feel quite daunting. Too many think they do not have enough of what it takes to make our world sustainable. It might be true because they think in a way that does not encourage action. Thinking differently has been frowned upon for too long. But that’s what we need: the diverse capabilities of all human brains. Sustainability thinking can become a successful pathway to deal with environmental issues, social unrest and economic collapse. A sustainable future depends on the way you imagine it. Make the most out of it!

3 Comments

  1. Hannah

    Very good points and reminders, thanks for the great read!

    Reply
  2. Mike

    Great article. Very informative, thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
  3. Jeanine

    Thank you for this brilliant article…it is so true Nature has this circular system down pat…we need to listen to her and support her …

    Reply

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