How a circular economy could help protect the planet

While it might seem like an unattainable goal, an increasing number of people and corporations are striving to create a waste-free planet. Here’s a closer look at why.

The current reality
Around the world, roughly two-thirds of raw materials extracted from the Earth get thrown away. Minerals, ores, fossil fuels, and biomass are discarded as waste and emitted as pollution. Unlike natural ecosystems, which endlessly recycle resources, most of the industrial economy is linear.

In a linear system, new raw materials are collected and transformed into goods. Often during this process, finite resources aren’t efficiently employed and the resulting by-products go unused. Additionally, the final products are typically discarded when they break or no longer serve their original purpose. Not only is a linear approach detrimental to the environment, but it’s also expensive and unsustainable.

The way forward
In a circular economy, resources are continuously reused and nothing is wasted. New materials are optimized at every step of their lifecycle, which reduces the environmental impacts of continuously producing new goods and can strengthen regional economies. The model is fashioned after the endless cycling of resources in natural ecosystems.

A large-scale transition toward a circular economy requires the collaboration of governments, businesses, and consumers. Here are a few ways you can incorporate the principles of a circular economy into your daily life.

• Eat organic food that’s grown and produced locally

• Host a clothing swap or donate items you no longer wear

• Compost, recycle and reuse goods whenever possible

• Opt for modes of transportation that run on renewable resources

As climate change continues to threaten the planet, an economy that protects the environment and promotes sustainable living isn’t just sensible, it’s essential.