Why should we aspire towards a circular economy and what are the most important aspects of it? We put together a list of the basics and their meanings.
For a circular economy to work the way it should, there are precisely seven important steps to go through. These uncomplicated procedures can be described as the cornerstones if you will. Each step coincides with each other and serves as guidelines for a perfect circular lifestyle.
From a consumer perspective, it is about making adjustments for the greater good. Lettings certain comforts go and getting comfortable with new ways of life. As to what comes to businesses, it comes down to gaining the consumer’s trust by being responsible and doing what is best for the climate and our environment.
The seven R’s of the circular economy
Without further ado, let’s go over the basics and what makes it work in general. In total, seven primary principles allow us to understand and comprehend the scenario as a whole.
Reduce
It’s important to understand that reducing consumption of all kinds is beneficial in the long run. Reconsidering purchase patterns will make a huge difference and businesses should react by designing products that are more durable and repairable.
Reuse
This is one of the more important ones on this list. Reusing instead of wasting is essential. Buying second-hand products, renting and leasing of any kind is good in hopes of keeping products in circulation for as long as possible.
Redesign
Ensuring the longevity of products is as important as anything else in a circular economy. This is where businesses have to step up their game and think long-term instead of the short game. Redesigning products so that they can be remanufactured enables more opportunities in climate-friendly product design.
Some call it a circular redesign, meaning improvements in materials selection and product design, focusing on purer materials flows, and design for easier disassembly.
Repair
Got a tear in your clothing or perhaps your coffee mug broke? Repair instead of throwing it away. Throwing products away because of one minor mishap is a costly way of thinking and thus repairing partially damaged goods is imperative. Businesses also have to focus on developing easily repairable products.
Refurbish
Organizations and/or consumers can restore products to their original functionality. Again, this is because it is key to reduce unnecessary waste in all areas, whether it be packaging, clothing, appliances and so forth.
Return and Recover
Companies must prepare for the return/recovery of products, materials and packaging from their manufacturing ecosystems as well as consumers. The pivotal part is not to let products go to waste or end up in landfills in copious amounts.
Recycle
Last but not least, recycling is without a doubt the most well-known form of enabling a circular economy. At the end of the use of a product, consumers should be able to either recycle materials or return them to recycling facilities for products/materials to be directed back into the production cycle.
Why?
Maybe not everyone is familiar with the core idea of keeping products in circulation and why a circular economy is being talked about so much. First of all, there are many economic benefits and the massive influx of new jobs is one of them. On top of that, reducing waste means that pollution and other environmentally harmful aspects of consumerism would also decrease.
Again, from the consumer’s point of view, a circular economy provides useful benefits. For example, longer-lasting products and more disposable income should one focus on buying second-hand and renting or leasing products.
Also, when speaking about gaining the trust of consumers, companies are already focusing on going green. A significant step for any company would be to make everlasting changes in their ways of manufacturing and designing products. Emphasizing the basic principles of a circular economy and ensuring a climate-friendly approach to business while moving forward in the 21st century.