Resource Revolution 2013
If the end goal is a circular economy, how
must our current linear way of thinking,
of doing business, be reshaped in order
to unlock the level of innovation needed
to make this transition? This was the
fundamental question put to a high calibre line-up of resource efficiency experts
at the Resource Revolution panel debate
last month in central London.
According to WRAP's director of design
& waste prevention Dr Richard Swannell,
Sponsored by
The debate 2/12
the notion of a circular economy provides
a huge opportunity to develop new ways
of operating for business. "One thing a
circular economy can do is provide a real
framework for innovative thinking," he
maintained.
However, he said that three key steps
were needed to enable this shift - resource
use reduction, higher levels of reuse
around durable materials and extracting
higher value from material waste streams.
Lead revolutionary
Maxine Perella
"Central to all of this is design," he added.
Adding that particular perspective,
the RSA's co-director of design Sophie
Thomas – who is leading on the Great
Recovery Project – argued that much
myth-busting was needed in order to
overcome the high degree of inertia
among businesses and organisations in
driving this issue forward.
"Design is not just about the product,
but the system. How can we get this
