Three new podcast episodes for the Circular Curious

Ever wondered what the difference is between sustainability and the circular economy? Or whether circular economy activities can help us adapt to the effects of climate change at the same time as tackling it at source? Have you ever considered what we really mean by designing for durability??

The circular economy is both simple and complex. As a systems solution framework, no part of a circular economy –?from idea to implementation – sits in a silo. There are plenty of areas around the circular economy that are less explored or under-acknowledged.?

In our latest podcast series, we’re taking the time to explore three of these tangential topics. Join us for the ‘Circular Curious’ season of the Circular Economy Show, as we talk around the edges, peel off some layers, and unravel some common misconceptions around the circular economy –?at both an ideological level and in implementation terms too.??

So, is the circular economy just another form of sustainability? In the first episode – ‘Sustainability and the circular economy: what’s the difference?’ – we start by setting the circular economy in the context of the wider sustainability sphere. Given that so many of those working in and around the circular economy have what we playfully call ‘the s-word’ in their job titles, clearly there are overlaps. Yet, they are not the same. Listen along as we explore some of the crossover points – and some of the points of difference – between the two terms, and explain the pitfalls of conflating these two vital yet distinct practices.?

Next up, we unravel the many dimensions of durability. Using examples from personal tech products to everyday fashion, ‘Decoding durability in a circular economy: more life, more memories’ pulls apart exactly what durability means at a material, product, system, and even behavioural level. By unpacking the physical and emotional dimensions of durability, we explore how this key design principle can help set circular business models – and the mindsets needed to see them through – up for long-term success.?

Finally, we break down the binary ways in which climate mitigation and climate adaptation have been historically considered. We know that the circular economy can be a powerful climate mitigation strategy: by reducing and avoiding emissions across the value chain, enabling embodied emissions to be retained within the economy, and improving carbon sequestration. In ‘Bridging the climate adaptation gap: can the circular economy help?’ we speak to the other side of the climate action coin, and explore the connection between circular economy activities and climate adaptation outcomes.?

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