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The Circular Economy

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The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is an independent charity with the aim of inspiring a generation to re-think, re-design & build a positive future through the vision of a circular economy. Ellen MacArthur founded the Foundation to better understand how on land too we rely on finite resources in the form of materials, energy and water after her experiences as a world class sailor having sailed over 26,000 miles to become the fastest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed.

The Circular Economy 100 is a global platform bringing together leading companies, emerging innovators and regions to accelerate the transition to a circular economy over a 1000-day (3 year) period. The Annual Summit was held Wednesday 19 June 2013.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Curated by earthsayer

February 03, 2025
Circular design is a hot topic, but moving beyond the buzzwords to practical implementation can be a real challenge. In this episode, we go deep with Joe Iles, Head of Design Activation at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, to unpack the essential principles and skills every designer should have in their toolkit. Joe shares a compelling perspective on circular design - it's not just about creating durable products, but rather reflecting the complex, interconnected systems that make up our world. He explores why circular design ideas often struggle to scale, despite the abundance of innovative concepts out there. He also shares the key design competencies that are crucial for driving the transition to a circular model, from systems thinking to prototyping and collaboration.  If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy. Links mentioned in this episode: • The Circular Design Guide (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-design-guide/overview?utm_campaign=drumbeat-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=&utm_term=) • The Jeans Redesign (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-jeans-redesign/overview?utm_campaign=drumbeat-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=&utm_term=) • The Circular Buildings Toolkit (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/circular-buildings-toolkit?utm_campaign=drumbeat-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=&utm_term=) • From ambition to action: an adaptive strategy for circular design (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/adaptive-strategy-for-circular-design/overview?utm_campaign=drumbeat-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=&utm_term=)

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