Getting In The Loop: Circular Economy | Sustainability | Closing The Loop

You may have wondered what big companies are doing about the circular economy, so today Jeff Wooster joins us to talk about just that! Jeff Wooster is the Global Sustainability Director for Dow Packaging and Specialty Plastics. Dow is one of the third largest chemical companies in the world and a member of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy 100 (CE 100) Network. In this episode, you will learn about some of the initiatives DOW has been working on regarding circular economy. This includes a partnership with the company Fuenix Ecogy Group to use plastic waste in the production of new polymers, and Project Butterfly which is a social initiative that addresses poor waste management through education, clean-ups, and innovation. Tune in to find out what must be done to meet our future plastic demands. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at our website: www.gettinginthelooppodcast.comABOUT TODAY'S GUESTJeff Wooster is the Global Sustainability Director for Dow Packaging and Spec

Today we’re talking about design and innovation for a circular economy! I’m joined by Dr. Merryn Haines-Gadd from the University of Exeter’s Centre for Circular Economy. In this episode, you will learn about emotionally durable design and the nine product longevity strategies that are relevant for a circular economy. You will also hear about the fascinating new world of self-healing materials and the various applications where they are being applied to help extend product lifetimes. Resources and links in this episode can be found on our website at www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY'S GUESTDr. Merryn Haines-Gadd is a post-doc researcher at the University of Exeter within the Exeter Centre for Circular Economy (ECCE). She works in the EPSRC consortium ‘Manufacturing Immortality’, investigating the design opportunities and Circular Economy implications of implementing self-healing materials within product development.

Today we are getting in the loop with Emanuele Di Francesco, founder of the online platform Circular Conversations. In this episode, you will learn about Circular Conversations, a platform where Emanuele engages with leaders in thinking related to the circular economy. You will also hear about Emanuele's work setting up circular economy projects at the Unknown Group. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at our website: www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com ABOUT TODAY'S GUESTEmanuele Di Francesco is founder of the online platform Circular Conversations. He is a passionate researcher and entrepreneur in the space of the circular economy, with an interest in opening up societal dialogue and working on impactful initiatives. He is currently responsible for setting up collaborative initiatives between start-ups and corporates to accelerate the transition to the circular economy at the Unknown Group. 

It’s our last episode of 2019! Today I’m sharing an episode I recorded about circular business models with Steven Curtis and Sofie Sandin, two of my colleagues at the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University. This episode originally appeared on the ‘Advancing Sustainable Solutions’ podcast that Sofie and Steven co-host at the IIIEE. I wanted to share it with you all because of the insight into circular business models! In the episode we address two main questions: What are circular business models?How can entrepreneurs contribute to the circular economy?As part of the latter question, I share a bit about what we’re learning in the C://BOOT program, where I helped mentor twenty-one budding circular economy entrepreneurs this past fall.This episode is actually the first of three episodes from ‘Advancing Sustainable Solutions’ on business in a circular economy. If you want to check out the second and third installments after listening to today’s episode, head over

In today’s episode, you’ll hear about Ladeja’s work to create a Circular Economy Roadmap for Slovenia and how she is working with people all over the world to implement circular change. Ladeja and I reflect on the importance of considering culture when discussing circular economy, and Ladeja shares some examples from her work in Norway and the Americas. We also talk about leadership for a circular economy and what it means to be a circular economy leader. This is something I was eager to hear from Ladeja about since I find her to be an inspirational circular economy leader, and in the episode, Ladeja share her thoughts about the qualities and capabilities that she thinks are necessary for today’s CE leaders. Show notes and links related to this episode can be found on our website at www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTLadeja Godina Košir is Founder & Director of Circular Change, Chair of ECESP in Brussels, is an internationally renowned expert for the circular economy, speaker and co-creato

It’s time for the second and final episode in our two-part series on the circular economy in India. Last week we were joined by a special guest host, Lucyl Staub to learn about the current state of India and the circular economy. This week, Lucyl returns to guide us through conversations with experts to discover more about the future of circular economy in India. As part of looking ahead, Lucyl also investigates the off-grid solar industry in India, looking at how to encourage the repair, reuse, and remanufacturing of off-grid solar panels.This two-part special makes a great follow up to Episode 005’ Why Asia is Key to the Future of Circular Economy with Adrienna Zsakay’. You can find Adrienna’s episode as well as links to other resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes on our website at www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com.Learn more about CE business actions in the solar industry Transition to a CE in the off-grid solar industry : Lucyl’s thesis (not yet published)Greening the Solar PV value chain in

In this special two-part episode, we’re learning about the state of the Circular Economy in India! This episode is a never before on the Getting in the Loop podcast because we have a special guest host, Lucyl Staub. Lucyl and I worked in collaboration on this episode and she will take over for me in a lot of the episode, guiding us through interviews with experts to discover more about how India is moving towards a more circular economy.In this episode (Part One), we’ll discover the current state of circular economy in India. And, in Part Two, we will hear more about the future of circular economy in India as well as from Lucyl about the research that brought her to India in the first place!This episode is a great follow up to Episode 005 ‘Why Asia is Key to the Future of Circular Economy with Adrienna Zsakay’ - and we have to give a great thank you to Adrienna for putting us in contact with some of the interviewees in this episode! You can find Adrienna’s episode as well as links to other resources mentioned

What does design have to do with a circular economy? Find out from Lars Zimmermann, a self-described Artist, Designer, and Activist. In this episode, you’ll learn about Open Source Circular Economy Days and the workshops Lars runs to engage people in circular economy concepts, including that of ‘pre-use,’ which you’ll hear him explain more in-depth. And last but not least, Lars also shares some exciting news about the work he is doing regarding circular economy education. ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTLars Zimmermann is a cofounder of Open Source Circular Economy Days, a global event that started in 2015 to promote open source as the key driver for a circular economy. Based out of Berlin, Germany, he is founder of Mifactori, a design and environmental activism studio. 

Today we’re getting in the loop with Jordan Nodarse, who is the founder of Boyish Jeans and a California native with a deep passion for sustainable practices in fashion. In this episode, Jordan and I dive into Boyish Jeans discussing their production practices and all things circular denim. Jordan takes me through how he initially found out about circular economy and how he now aims to set the standard for production practices with Boyish Jeans.This episode is a great follow-up to Getting in the Loop Episode 003 where Helene Smits and I explored the future of circular fashion. As you will hear, Boyish has adopted many of the practices discussed in that episode. You can find Episode 003 as well as well as the show notes to this episode on our website at gettinginthelooppodcast.comABOUT TODAY’S GUESTJordan Nodarse launched Boyish Jeans after more than a decade spent learning the ins and outs of the denim industry. Launching one and a half years ago, Boyish Jeans is a collection of sustainable women’s denim. Des

It’s time to go back to some circular economy basics! In this episode, you'll hear how Rebecca Kimber and I explain circular economy, why we were drawn to circular economy in the first place, and what continues to get us excited about it. This episode is a little different from our normal Getting in the Loop episodes because we originally recorded it for Rebecca to use on her website and podcast, and I wanted to share it with you as well. This would be a good episode to share with your friends, family, or colleagues outside of the circular economy bubble as we try not to talk too technical!ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTRebecca Kimber writes about circular economy products, clean living and holistic health on EarthyB.com. She believes products should be better for us, the planet and the economy, and on her website, she shares her own journey of using simple swaps to reduce her eco-impact while also exploring systemic change. HIGHLIGHTSCircular economy basic principles and the two main concepts for circular business model

Hi and welcome to Getting in the Loop. I’m Katie and today I’m talking with Rowan Drury of Sweden’s first plastic package-free shop, Gram.Rowan Drury founded Sweden’s first plastic package-free shop Gram in 2016 after searching for a more sustainable way to buy food. At GRAM Everything is sold loose and by weight. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own reusable containers so that they do not have to throw away anything when they get home. When she’s not running the shop, Rowan can be found lecturing about zero-waste lifestyles, supporting others in their quest to start up zero-waste shops and initiatives and advise companies about how to reduce their waste and climate impact.In this episode, you will hear about why Rowan started Gram and we dive into the zero-waste lifestyle.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTRowan Drury founded Sweden’s first plastic package-free shop Gram in 2016 after searching for a more sustainable way to buy food. At GRAM Everything is sold loose and by weight. Shoppers are encouraged to bring thei

This episode is a crash course in the commons economy with Michel Bauwens of the P2P foundation. Michel introduces me to the concept of P2P and how it can be used to create commons. We discuss how the concept of the commons can be used as a model for governance in the circular economy and you’ll also hear why Michel is cautious of the so-called ‘sharing economy’ popularized by platforms such as Uber and Airbnb.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTMichel Bauwens is the founder and director of the P2P Foundation and works in collaboration with a global group of researchers in the exploration of peer production, governance, and property. Michel is also research director of CommonsTransition.org, a platform for policy development aimed toward a society of the Commons. He has (co-)published various books and reports, is a founding member of the Commons Strategies Group, and recently crafted a Commons Transition Plan for the city of Ghent in Belgium in 2017.Highlights:What is P2P and the commons economyHow you can use P2P to create

Today I’m talking with Adrien Segens about supply chain management and managing material risks. In this episode you will hear why having a better understanding of where our products come from and where they end up can help us create a more circular economy. We talk about different ways technology can play in enabling supply chain management and the benefits of supply chain transparency for companies.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTAdrien Segens is a Corporate Development Consultant. Since 2008, Adrian has worked with innovative companies in that special place where technology, supply chains and sustainability meet each other. His projects have focused on using innovative technologies to address issues such as supply chain traceability; Smart Assets in Smart Cities; Natural Capital accounting, and corporate environmental reporting.HighlightsMeet the RSA How realistic is having an overview of supply chainsBlock chain, the Internet of Things and the role of technological solutions in managing supply chainsWhy supply chain ma

Today I’m talking with Prof. Dr Wayne Visser who is the Director of the Sustainable Transformation Lab at Antwerp Management School. In this episode, you will learn the four qualities of leaders and how you as an individual can act as an agent for change, including the four different types of change agents and how to tell which one are you. As you will hear, much of Wayne’s work has focused on leadership for sustainability, which I think is very much relevant for those of you trying to implement circular change.ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTProf. Dr Wayne Visser is a globally recognized ‘pracademic’ on sustainable business, author of 29 books and presenter of Closing the Loop, the world’s first feature-length documentary on the circular economy. He currently serves as Professor of Integrated Value at Antwerp Management School, where he also holds the Chair in Sustainable Transformation, supported by BASF, Port of Antwerp and Randstad. He is a Fellow of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership,

Today I’m sharing the story of the In the Loop circular economy game!In this solocast episode you’ll hear why the In the Loop game was created, how the game became a reality, and why I’m a fan of gamification. I share how the In the Loop game helps players to start thinking about moving towards a circular –rather than linear- economy and who’s been playing.Highlights1:45 Who am I?4:00 The In the Loop game story7:00 What are critical raw materials?13:00 How the game works17:00 Who has been using this19:30 Evaluating In the Loop in use21:00 Important tips about using In the Loop

Today we’re welcoming Kate Daly of Closed Loop Partners to the podcast. In this episode you will learn about how Closed Loop Partners is working with US companies to help accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Kate tells us why companies are motivated to work on circularity and shares examples of recent projects including a challenge to ‘Reinvent the Paper Cup’ as part of the NExt Gen consortium founded by McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Closed Loop Partners. Resources and links discussed in this episode are available at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUESTKate Daly is the Executive Director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners, an impact investment firm. The Center is a hub for circular business acceleration, investment, and research in packaging, food, the built environment, and apparel & textiles. Prior to joining Closed Loop Partners, Kate served as Senior Vice President at the NYC Economic Development Corporation. At NYCEDC Kate led a team launching innovat

In Part Two of our special two-part episode, we return with the founding father of the Performance Economy Dr. Walter Stahel. Today we learn about the work he is currently doing to accelerate the transition to a more circular economy. You will hear about his new book, The Circular Economy: A User’s Guide, including why he was motivated to write the book in the first place and why he thinks the most important part of circular economy is YOU. Resources and links discussed in this episode are available at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST Dr. Walter R. Stahel is founder and director of the Product-Life Institute (Switzerland), the oldest established consultancy in Europe devoted to developing sustainable strategies and policies. He is a visiting professor at the University of Surrey (UK), a full member of the Club of Rome, and author of numerous publications,, including his recent book The Circular Economy: A User’s Guide. HIGHLIGHTS 2:00 How the World Circular Economy Forum 2017 motivated Walter

In this special two-part episode, we hear from the founding father of the Performance Economy Dr. Walter Stahel. In today’s episode (Part One), we learn about Walter’s background, how his work on the performance economy began, and his experience finding arguments to convince people that buying performance rather than products makes sense for business as well as the environment. I also announce the winner of our special book giveaway in collaboration with Catherine Weetman! Resources and links discussed in this episode are available at www.gettinginthelooppodcast.com . ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST Dr. Walter R. Stahel is founder and director of the Product-Life Institute (Switzerland), the oldest established consultancy in Europe devoted to developing sustainable strategies and policies. He is a visiting professor at the University of Surrey (UK), a full member of the Club of Rome, and author of numerous publications,, including his recent book The Circular Economy: A User’s Guide. HIGHLIGHTS 4:30 Walter’s background a

Today we’re talking with Olaf Boerner about plastics and packaging in a circular economy. In this episode, you will learn about current trends in the plastics industry and packaging sector, discover what it means to be plastic free and the tradeoffs associated with it, and hear about practicalities related to recycling plastics. Get ready to be shocked when you find out what things you use everyday that contain plastic! Resources and links discussed in this episode are available at gettingintheloopodcast.com ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST Olaf Boerner is the head of business development at flustix, which tests and certifies plastic-free products as well as products made with recycled plastics to help reduce plastic waste worldwide. Olaf has previously worked as a consultant in the fields of Sustainability and International Education with a special focus on growth projects. HIGHLIGHTS 5:00 Trends in reducing, replacing, and recycling plastics 12:30 What is flustix and plastic-free 14:15 Addressing the growing consumer d

Joost de Kluijver joins us on the podcast today! Joost is the founder and CEO of the social enterprise Closing the Loop (CTL), which has developed a service that delivers on the growing demand for circular IT. Prior to founding CTL, Joost worked for Accenture and the Global Reporting Initiative. In this episode, you will learn about the work Joost and his organization CTL is doing to enable proper collection and recycling of African e-waste and find out how their service provides a solution for circular procurement of IT in Europe. Resources and links discussed in this episode can be found at gettinginthelooppodcast.com . HIGHLIGHTS 2:20 Why it is important to close the loop on electronics 7:15 How Closing the Loop delivers value to two customer groups 9:45 Circular IT services and work with brands such as Samsung 12:30 Supply chain certification tools and collection 14:30 Challenges of setting up IT collection systems in Africa 17:30 Why electronic waste recycling has yet to happen in Africa 23:00 Common mis