Jon Snow challenges Ellen MacArthur on the circular economy
- by Jo Miller
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- 14 Nov 2011
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Jon Snow, Channel 4 Newscaster talks to Dame Ellen MacArthur about the circular economy and rethinking the future, in a short film looking back on the first year of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Challenging Ellen on the fundamental principles of the Foundation’s mission – to inspire a generation to re-think and re-design for a positive future – Jon investigates the circular economy as a framework for change and questions the actual implementation and impact of such a model on business.
With over 5 years of research and a full year of the Foundation under her belt, Dame Ellen is well placed to handle these testing questions and to make a strong case for the circular economy framework.
The circular economy is a different business model. It’s a different way of looking at the system as a whole. We know our future doesn’t work long term, but within a circular economy it does.
Ellen MacArthur
In a circular economy, by-products become food for another cycle thus eliminating the notion of waste. Instead of a take-make-dispose economy powered by fossil fuel energy products are designed by intention to fit within a materials flow powered by renewables.
With the focus clearly on engaging with its key audiences – business and education – the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has accomplished a considerable amount in its first year.
Over 800 16-18 year olds participated in Project ReDesign, a series of 5 hands-on workshops on the circular economy, around the UK, hosted by Ellen, and 24 students took part in week-long internship programmes in business with the Founding Partners – B&Q, BT Cisco, National Grid and Renault. The beginning of September saw the start of the first Post Graduate course on the circular economy, run in collaboration with the University of Bradford.
Going forward education remains at the heart of the Foundation’s aspirations that include developing resources, supporting their dissemination and building links with universities and academic institutions. The ultimate aim is to ensure that young people leaving education have the necessary skills and perspective to realise the opportunities of re-designing their futures.
Watch the film below, and inspire others to re-think the future by sharing through Twitter and Facebook.
3 comments
Ross Morris wrote on November 14 2011:
Excellent! Its about time people started thinking about big changes instead of trying to patch together a system which clearly doesnt work. Radical ideas are what move us forward in this day and age instead of trying to apply plasters to a broken system which has clearly outgrown its needs.
Nick Palmer wrote on November 18 2011:
It's about time the mainstream started assimilating ideas such as these. I noticed the subtle insertion of (probably the most difficult bit) the concept of design for disassembly while keeping the quality of the material "ingredients" the same. This tends to rule out many composite materials as fodder for future designs. I noticed the chap from Renault said "and that the materials could be used and reused for other applications" which is significantly less than the concept put forward by Ellen. Some may regard Renault's stance as progress but never forget what Lloyd George said: "There is nothing more dangerous than to leap a chasm in two jumps" I don't think it is possible, in the time frame we have, to approach sustainability in small steps because such small steps across the chasm have the danger that the general public might think enough is being done. With public motivation thus mollified the pressure for change may lessen. If they get motivated enough to realise that there have to be changes and actions, "half way" solutions may very well soften or remove that motivation, particularly with the vast amount of countering PR/propaganda out there from institutions and political forces only motivated by their own bottom lines. Blogspot: "Sustainability and stuff according to Nick Palmer"
Alexandra wrote on November 20 2011:
It is brilliant way of thinking and changing people's life style to safe the Nature. But how to apply the idea in a country full of ignorance, greediness and corruption on each level of a society? To safe the Nature's resources and Earth we need educated human resources. Such developed countries like UK, Holland, etc with educated people can change their economy into circular economy. And even for such countries time is needed. So there will be patches of these countries with circular economy on Earth. Will it safe the entire world while other countries will continue their destroying the Earth economy? The idea of circular economy is brilliant and Ellen MacArthur's efforts in spreading the idea is a huge step forward in making the future. But when I look at my country I see a drop in a ocean. I understand we need do something in my country too to have the changes we want (I say 'we, in my country want the changes' but actually for now I see only myself in the country who see the situation in the country and realize the benefits of the circular economy). So it will take years and generations before we realize it. Anyways, circular economy is great and worth bringing it into life. Many thanks!
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