September 22, 2022

Reimagine Sustainability Logo

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.

Sharing is Caring

Sustainable Finance Action Plan: Doing More Good With Your Money

The global financial system relies on growing consumption to sustain an ever-expanding economy on a planet with finite resources. Money is not only an exchange medium to buy the things you need or want. Every time you purchase a product or service, you vote. Unfortunately, most purchasing decisions contribute to the further destruction of the environment and exploitation of people. Financial literacy is now a crucial skill for making purchase decisions that can make a difference. Use your purchasing power to do good – for you, the planet and your bank account. It is easy, I will show you how!

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.

10 Simple Reasons Why It’s Not Too Late For Sustainability

It’s not easy being a human in a world which seems to crumble around us. Finding encouraging and helpful support to tackle our world’s crisis is not easy. Many already say that we can’t achieve Sustainability anymore. What nonsense! In this article, I want to show you 10 simple reasons why we can still achieve Sustainability. Even better, it won’t be as difficult as you might think. Our world is complex, but not everything needs to be hypercomplex. Sometimes the simple things in life will bring us where we should be. Curious? You’re more than welcome to continue reading.

Can The Tragedy Of The Commons Be Solved With Economic Degrowth?

Change is inevitable. What should we do when a number of people cling to a system that is harmful but the norm? Economic degrowth is mocked by the corporate world and governments. Although it seems irrational to continue an economic system that is based on exploitation and destruction, there is little openness to rethink our global economies. Does a remedy exist? Imagine what a future that favours prosperity and sustainable development could look like. I have difficulty imagining a sustainable global economy. Let me introduce you to degrowth and the tragedy of the commons. Two concepts not paired before!

Why We Need To Understand The Planetary Boundaries

We know all about speed limits, alcohol limits, calorie limits, age limits and so on. Those are limits we have to take individual action on because we are responsible for ourselves. The planetary limits, known as the planetary boundaries, is a collective responsibility of all of us. The planetary boundaries define the environmental limits within which humans can safely exist, develop and thrive. Pushing the Earth’s systems is putting our livelihoods at risk. Therefore, our responsibility is to know our Earth’s limits and operate in ways which lead to prosperity.

Redefine Sustainability: Unleashing Your Inner Eco-Hero

Embrace your inner eco-hero and embark on a journey to redefine sustainability. It’s time to go beyond the traditional definitions and become a champion for a more holistic approach. It’s about becoming an agent of change, weaving your personality into sustainable actions- from small daily actions to larger systemic shifts. So, put on your eco-hero cape, ignite your passion, and join the movement towards a more sustainable and thriving world. Together, we can redefine what it means to be an eco-hero and create a brighter, prosperous and just future. Let’s unleash our superpowers for a sustainable planet!

From Hardie To Softie: 7 Soft Skills Which Will Change The World For Good

Soft skills are a resourceful set of traits to contribute to social sustainability. For too long, the positive effects of soft skills have been neglected, but now is the time to shine. The mix of social skills can tremendously contribute to a better sustainable transformation of our lives and well-being. Soft skills aren’t all about better work performance and ethics. We need to shift our focus away from keeping only our economies going, but keeping ourselves alive; emotionally and physically. Developing your soft skills abilities will bring you one step closer to dealing with the world’s challenges.

Green Pressure: The Global Sustainability Trends To Follow In 2022

Trends come and go. But Sustainability trends will have a lasting impact on our societies and the planet. Finding new ways of meeting basic human needs is a prevalent red thread. Citizens become increasingly more aware of bad practices which result in pollution, global warming, biodiversity loss, social injustice etc. Governments as well as industries are experiencing waves of pressure from citizens who are fed up with bad leadership. We all have our contributions to make and luckily, a lot of awesome global citizens have figured out different solutions to tackle humanity’s most pressing challenges. The following Sustainability trends will give you an idea in which direction we are heading. You’re more than welcome to join us!

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.

Why Systems Thinking Is So Useful To Achieve Sustainability

Systems thinking should become one of the number one approaches to solving societal challenges. It’s a problem-solving approach that looks at a system as a whole. Making sense of the complexity in our world is not an easy task, but mastering the principles of systems thinking can bring us one step closer to achieving sustainable goals. Rather than isolating parts of a system (like linear thinking does), systems thinking is the ability to understand systems as a whole and the dependent relationships. With systems thinking, we have a much better chance to find the solutions which fit.

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

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This