How to make our economy as circular as our globe?

The waste produced by one species, becomes food and energy to another. Energy is provided by the sun or the wind, things grow, then die, and nutrients return to the soil safely. And this is pretty much nature teaching us how we should behave. Can you believe it?

And this is such a natural concept that humans adopt it as well, right?

In fact, humans tend to adopt a slightly simple, yet linear approach: we take, we make, and we dispose. Not only do we keep taking and wasting finite resources, but by disposing off the objects we consider obsolete, we often produce toxic waste, which is bad for us and for our planet.

This way of living can easily become hard to deal with in a medium/long-term perspective, since resources are finite and the demand for goods in general is always climbing .

What can we do about it?

That is why companies need to rethink and redesign a great part of what they do – products, components, and the packaging they come in, so that the waste generated by human production can later be used to produce further capital.

Just imagine if that old rusty electric kettle from grandma Alice could be used to make a “brand new” toaster. Instead of trowing things away, several valuable metal or plastic components can be removed, reshaped or reused to produce other small appliances. Now, think on how much raw materials would be saved and, at the same time, on how tastier grandma’s tea would become. It’s a win-win situation.

Products are designed to be sold or rented and then used. If companies are willing to make a difference, old goods should be sent back to its manufacturers, who will ensure that most of its components are reused or reintroduced in nature.

Eventually, we will regard global economy as just another circle of life. And it will feel good, for all of us.