The gloomy back corner of the club only served to darken the mood of Juan Tyme-Youse as he sat nursing his beer and bruised ego. “Not long ago,” Juan recalled, “One-Time-Use was the watchword. I was at the top of my game. It was beautiful - extract resources, process, consume & discard – all for limitless economic growth. I was the key to a prosperous life for hundreds of millions. We’d make it, use it, toss it and extract some more.”
Then Juan spotted Bette Urrway, his old flame, across the dance floor. “Who’s she flirting with, that fancy-schmancy new guy in town?” Juan muttered under his breath. “What’s his name? Sir Cularity? What kind of name is that?”
Bette looked up and caught Juan’s eye; she beckoned him to join them. He reluctantly shuffled over, and as he shook Sir’s hand, he felt as if he were symbolically passing some kind of torch. Bette looked deep into Juan’s eyes and said, “We had some good times didn’t we Juan, but those days are over. Sir Cularity and I are planning to build a new and even more prosperous future.”
Bette went on to explain how Juan’s ‘linear’ model is unsustainable. It takes extracted resources in a direct line to the landfill. But with a circular economy, waste is minimized or even eliminated. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation says the circular economy is based on three principles. 1. Eliminate waste and pollution. 2. Circulate products and materials (at their highest value). 3. Regenerate nature. This system separates or “decouples” economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. People and businesses prosper while at the same time helping manage environmental challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution.
And it’s not all some pie-in-the-sky pipe dream. Using the circularity model, HP, one of the world’s largest computer and printer makers, has added $3.5 billion in new sales in fiscal year 2021.* HP is committed to reaching 75% circularity for products and packaging by 2030. That includes the supply chain from start to finish and product use at home by consumers.
Elton John’s ‘Circle of Life’ began to play in the background,” …on the endless round. It's the circle of life.”
“So long Juan,” Bette saluted. “Our brightest future on the only home we’ll ever know now lies with a circular economy because we’re all forever…Earthbound.”
*www.marketplace.org
Then Juan spotted Bette Urrway, his old flame, across the dance floor. “Who’s she flirting with, that fancy-schmancy new guy in town?” Juan muttered under his breath. “What’s his name? Sir Cularity? What kind of name is that?”
Bette looked up and caught Juan’s eye; she beckoned him to join them. He reluctantly shuffled over, and as he shook Sir’s hand, he felt as if he were symbolically passing some kind of torch. Bette looked deep into Juan’s eyes and said, “We had some good times didn’t we Juan, but those days are over. Sir Cularity and I are planning to build a new and even more prosperous future.”
Bette went on to explain how Juan’s ‘linear’ model is unsustainable. It takes extracted resources in a direct line to the landfill. But with a circular economy, waste is minimized or even eliminated. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation says the circular economy is based on three principles. 1. Eliminate waste and pollution. 2. Circulate products and materials (at their highest value). 3. Regenerate nature. This system separates or “decouples” economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. People and businesses prosper while at the same time helping manage environmental challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution.
And it’s not all some pie-in-the-sky pipe dream. Using the circularity model, HP, one of the world’s largest computer and printer makers, has added $3.5 billion in new sales in fiscal year 2021.* HP is committed to reaching 75% circularity for products and packaging by 2030. That includes the supply chain from start to finish and product use at home by consumers.
Elton John’s ‘Circle of Life’ began to play in the background,” …on the endless round. It's the circle of life.”
“So long Juan,” Bette saluted. “Our brightest future on the only home we’ll ever know now lies with a circular economy because we’re all forever…Earthbound.”
*www.marketplace.org
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