How can we all benefit from a circular economy?
This episode focuses on how the concepts of frugality, cradle to cradle and circular economy can have benefits for us all and what we as individuals can and should do to bring about change. Michael Boyle, fellow radio show host, minimalist and circular economy expert helps us understand these concepts with day-to-day examples, but also doesn’t shy away from “the bigger picture”. Be prepared for a journey of mind shifts, deep analysis of our relationship with things and critical questions.
This episode is entirely in English!
Mike’s recommendations/information:
PERMACULTURE
The concept of permaculture was created by David Holmgren and Bill Mollison in 1978 and is based on the symbiosis of three basic principles:
* Care for the earth
* Care for people
* Continuously return the surplus
–> Website on the subject: https://permacultureprinciples.com/
CRADLE TO CRADLE
Cradle to Cradle was a framework published in 2002 by Michael Braungart (Chemist) and William McDonough (Architect), which created a few elements adopted by the circular economy. The most prominent concept used often is: “Biological and technical cycle” which is called the butterfly diagram … https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thibaut_Wautelet/publication/322555840/figure/fig2/AS:631621472514082@1527601702889/Distinction-between-biological-and-technical-cycles-in-the-Cradle-to-Cradle-design_W640.jpg
Cradle to cradle – Bring back to nature what you took. They rightfully claim that everything is a resource for something else, and the biological and technical cycles show how it is brought back. The opposite is Cradle to grave, where we take resources and throw them away when we no longer need them. This phrase has a number of different names such as the linear model or take-make-dispose.
–> Cradle to Cradle offers a whole slew of certifications: https://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
The circular economy has a number of sources (including those mentioned and a lot more such as blue ocean and biomimicry), but took on interest through the work of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation with their work “Towards the Circular Economy”, published in 2013: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/Ellen-MacArthur-Foundation-Towards-the-Circular-Economy-vol.1.pdf
They also have a Podcast called “Explore the Circular Economy”.
Book by Kate Raworth: Doughnut Economy (2017)
Mike has a few projects of his own on the subject:
* He was the original organizer of the Circular Economy Club here in Austria: https://www.circulareconomyclub.com/
* He’s put together an eLearning course on the subject: https://www.udemy.com/course/welcome-to-the-circular-economy/?referralCode=376148BE59DC888E7649
* He’s running an initiative focusing on what he calls the “Circular Experience”: http://www.circularexperience.com
* He’s in the process of forming an association which tries to showcase all circular initiatives here in Vienna: http://www.circular.wien
If you wish to contact Mike, you can reach him via radiotippingpoint@094.at.
Hope you enjoy! We’re always glad to read your feedback.
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