Revista 005 - How a circular economy benefits us all
Pol Cunillera
A circular economy aims to repair, recycle, or repurpose all materials and products to produce little to no waste and increase the lifespan of a product. While this has clear environmental benefits, such as reducing the amount of resources needed and taken and minimizing pollution by using materials that are kind to Earth, there are several significant benefits for humans as well. A circular economy won´t just benefit the natural world. It will benefit all of us.
Our resources are not infinite. The human population as a whole consumes an astronomical amount of resources every day, whether for food, fuel, transportation, clothes, or entertainment. Natural resources like forests and freshwater are being depleted faster than they can be replenished. Every product, from our water bottles to our clothes, comes from the raw materials in which we grow or harvest from Earth. Even so, we regularly throw away items that are still functional.
A circular economy aims to repair, recycle, or repurpose all materials and products to produce little to no waste and increase the lifespan of a product.
Using less resources naturally means emitting less greenhouse gasses. If we follow the principles of a circular economy and recycle our materials, the need to produce more materials will decrease. Hence, the operational and environmental costs of such processes needed to create new products will also decrease.
A circular economy can tackle this issue at the root. One of its main goals is to maximize resource efficiency, meaning to do more with less. A circular economy actively strives to keep the usage of resources to a minimum, and fully utilize said resources for as long as possible by extending its life through repurposing, repair, or recycling. This efficient use of resources means that we will have less waste as a result and have the opportunity to fix the scarcity of resources Earth faces.
The most significant benefit is likely the improvement in health from reducing soil, air, or water pollution each year. Pollution is caused by our waste, whichever form it may be in, and contaminates our water, air, and soil. These can have harmful effects on human health. However, in a circular economy, using compostable and biodegradable materials is a priority due to our goal of producing little to no waste. If we continuously reuse or repurpose our materials, they will maintain function without polluting the environment. In addition, if a product were to be disposed of, its materials would mean that it would enhance the soil in which it comes back to.
A circular economy can benefit our economic situation as well. If we refurbish used items or recycle their materials, the operating and manufacturing costs go down. New opportunities open up for job applicants in fields that work to benefit the environment. If polluting the ocean or overfishing were to be prevented, this would result in an increase of biodiversity that would benefit the fishing industry. If our water, soil, and air were not so polluted, we need not focus or spend as many resources to treat the conditions the pollution causes. If we find a way to source our raw materials that will allow them to replenish more, the lack of resources becomes a lesser concern. If we were to curb the effects of climate change by drastically reducing the toxic emissions we put out, not only would we be healthier for it, it would free up massive amounts of time, resources and money for other major issues. If we look into the long run rather than short-term incentives, everyone can win in a circular economy.
If we look into the long run rather than short-term incentives, everyone can win in a circular economy.
This sort of systemic change won´t come from one person or group, or even an entire industry. It requires all industries and people to make a shift to a circular economy. We all have a part to play. For instance, SURU employs circular design in every aspect of our design and manufacturing process so we can ensure that we contribute to a circular economy. By meticulous design and manufacturing, we create strong, durable products that have a long life cycle to prevent it from ever reaching the landfill. Our modular designs ensure that even if a part breaks, it can be easily replaced.
If we can eliminate our overconsumption of resources and use what we take efficiently, while giving back to Earth, we give the planet a chance to recover its lost biodiversity and replenish its resources. While in the short term, there seems to be little incentive, in the long term, it benefits the greater good, specifically, the collective health of both people and the planet. However, this all starts with the willingness to change.