Is "sustainability" dead? What if "sustainability" were dead?
Sarah O'Sell
Green Commercial Excellence | Go-to-Market Strategy | Circular Economy | Digital Sustainability | Host of Innovation Bre8k
Is "sustainability" dead?
This controversial question was asked at the end of the Women in 3D Printing TIPE Conference "Sustainability and Circular Economies" panel that I moderated last week. In this panel, we introduced the Butterfly Diagram above and the Circular Economy as an industrial system that is restorative by design, transforming the concept of "waste" to "material" flows, and focused on challenges and opportunities for the recycling loop with case studies discussed by the panelists; Samantha Snabes, Co-founder of re:3D, and Lyndsey Lewis, Co-founder of Reflow. This conversation was followed by Sherry Handel, Executive Director of the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA), pointing to the need for industry data and research to drive business decisions in this space.
Understanding the transformation of language is key.
We addressed that the Butterfly Diagram is simply a thinking tool. As it stands, the diagram shows a user/consumer > collection > recycling > part manufacturer cycle which requires usable, concentrated, consistent material supply... this is a great vision but actually not economically feasible at this time. Why? We do not yet have whole product life cycle data systems to truly know our materials once they reach processing centers, there is no consistency of material supply, and single-stream hauler collection inherently causes contamination; this is why our recycling systems are devalued and broken. However, we do see that industrial materials are an emerging recycling opportunity. Our idea of "recycling" has transformed to reflect a value sourcing, capture, and creation mentality, much like how our idea of "sustainability" must change.
So.. is "sustainability" dead?
At the time, all of us panelists answered a collective - NO. In my head... I thought of a diagram I was inspired to make Fall 2020 in my University of Exeter Circular Economy Masterclass as a personal framework for the evolution of the "sustainability" language we use.
I asked myself, "What words reflect a past mentality and how might we discuss these topics to shape our future realities?"
"Sustainability" isn't dead, it's the standard for maintaining a business.
Inherently, the word "sustain" means to keep the same. During the panel, I mentioned that this is a controversial question. There are two sides of belief to this trigger word - those who have come to accept it as a strong jump of innovation, and those who believe it's far from enough. I'd put myself in the second camp but understand through experience that the people I'm usually speaking with are very proud of their first camp accomplishments here. Doors will close at the ask for more without the demonstrated capacity for ROI, and it is the general perception that investment into new ground-up infrastructure is fool hearty. Furthermore, in order for this Circular Economy infrastructure to be truly successful, it must also provide the foundation for a Generative Economy - one that works for a healthy balance of the system and not the unlimited growth of an individual or few, a concept fully against our capitalist core.
Looking ahead though, "sustainability" may need to die.
According to the Language Direction Map, the journey to a "Circular" Economy may involve a period of "Zero Waste". This stop of the past and step to the future is a scary hurdle to jump, a zone of perceived pause or reduction in anticipation of something we haven't fully proven yet. However, we are beginning to build case studies and data systems that serve as this transformation bridge. Perpetuating our linear ways is not working and we're even seeing our oldest industries and industrial world triumphs collapse (Oil and Gas, Global Supply Chains). Building with material flows in mind keeps our resources in their most usable and economical form, rather than trash or a cleanup liability.
What if sustainability were dead?
Below, you'll see a list of resources that can serve as a starting point for your learning. A key area of growth for me was using catalytic questioning to disrupt the status quo. We might change "Is sustainability dead?" to "What if sustainability were dead?" and open our thinking with a brainstorm. While our Butterfly Diagrams and Language Direction Maps are still evolving and Circular Economy business models are in beta, they are proving to be a solid economic direction that works for a just future. I hope that this Language Direction Map can provide some tools for your communication and understanding of where you and someone who you may be talking with exist in their own learning journey through this spectrum. From there, we can find the next step to take. It is up to us as transformation leaders to see where we are at and KEEP QUESTIONING to forge the path to bring our communities and businesses forward to a future we can all live in. ??