The Linear vs. Circular Economy
Current system:
Our entire economy is based on something that is called The ‘Linear Economic Model’. And it looks like this:
Take => Make => Sell => Use => Dispose
(resources) (manufacture) (retail) (consumerism) (waste)
A ridiculously high percentage of products start out as raw material. We take that raw materials (also known as ‘resources’) and transport them to a factory to make a product. We mass manufacture said product. And China is the world’s factory. Then we transport it to a store, sometimes the product traveling through several retail points before reaching the final user. The product is then bought by - and transported to - the end user, also called a consumer. After the product reaches the end of its life, it is discarded (disposed of), in most cases being transported to a waste management facility.
This whole process is written in a straight line, in the form of a connected chain. It has a beginning (raw materials) and an end (waste). Which is why it’s called the “linear economy”.
This system is great! So great, in fact, that it has been used for hundreds of years with success. So why change it, right? Well… there is a slightly big problem. The beginning and the end of the chain (take and dispose) are finite! One day they will finish.
The first half of this chain: “Take - Make - Sell” is called a “Supply Chain”. The last half of the chain: “Use - Dispose” is called “Consumption”. Unless we are talking about a farm to table (and eventually toilet? :p) type of situation (about which we will be discussing later on) most of the products known to man go through each process of the chain. A product will go through tens to sometimes thousands of people’s hands by the end of its life.
The arrow between Sell and Use (aka between the supply chain and the process of consumption) in economic terms is called ‘The Golden Arrow’. And within that golden arrow lies the key to our economy. The golden arrow is where everything is decided.
You, me and everybody else in this world, are at the mercy of the golden arrow. And we, as consumers, get to decide everything. This is where the exchange between the demand and supply happens.
That is where supply and demand system exists.
Why is it important?
Why is it important to change the system? Not just because it’s failing us, but because it’s not sustainable in the long run. I’ll explain.
This linear system has been used for hundreds of years with success. But the problem is, the beginning of the chain is finite, as well as our capacity to dispose of things! One day our raw materials will stop flowing. If we keep consuming at our current rate, that day will come during our lifetime, launching a horrific chain of war on resources, greed and death. This system is not sustainable in the long run. There is no Planet B, so if we don’t act now, our future is grim. Or rather, there will not be any future at all.
What does a war on resources mean? It means the rich and powerful will have their way, while the poor will die away and the middle class will struggle to survive. When humans are in survival mode, they lose their humanity. And we don’t want that, do we? We want to create a humaine world rather than a world full of war and pain.
Solution
But wait! Like I said, don’t worry! We already have the solution to the problem! It is called “the circular economy”. And it looks like this: Take (once) OR Use already existent resources (preferable) => Make => Sell => Use => Collect => Make/Remake => Sell => Use/Reuse => Collect => Make etc.
Take once, manufacture for circularity, sell sustainably and ethically, use as much as possible, collect and, instead of becoming waste, it’s put back in the cycle. It looks like a circle, which is why it’s called a “circular economy”.
What’s the difference between the linear economic model and the circular model? What’s missing from the circular model?
There is no disposal system. You take the raw materials only once then you keep them in the production system for as long as possible. You make and remake, use and reuse the products infinitely. The waste from one process becomes the resource for another process.
So our Global Goal we should be aiming big at is: to push the shift from the dangerous Linear Economy to the sustainable Circular Economy.
Let’s shift our focus from macro to micro. From the big picture to what we can do concretely to help push the shift of the economy.
Every time we buy a product or we design a new product, we need to think in terms of a circular model. Any (aspiring) designers out there? Take notes :)
We need to look for and design for:
・reuse - long-lasting products, often attached to a regular service
・ease of maintenance - easy to clean and replace old parts
・repair - easy to repair, access to repair shops
・remanufacture - easy to deconstruct and disassemble
・recycle - try not to mix materials, and strive for 0 loss in quality
・compostability - biodegradable materials that quickly disintegrate in compost.
Current products are very bad at all the above, and we, as the future generation, we need to shift the economy by creating and pushing demand for products designed for a circular economy. So, how do I act as a consumer, based on this knowledge? Simple. You buy products that are closer to the circular model: Like this:
・reuse - buy longer lasting products, often attached to a service such as: life insurance, repairing services, parts replacements etc.
・ease of maintenance - products which are easy to clean or have parts that are easily replaceable and accessible.
・repair - products that are easy to repair, or have quick access to parts or repair shops
・remanufacture - easy to deconstruct and disassemble in case of products that are regularly upgraded/updated.
・recycle - buy products that do not mix materials, and strive for 0 loss in quality in case of recycling or remanufacturing
・compostability - when necessary, buy single-use products made of biodegradable materials that quickly disintegrate in home compost, and not in industrial composts or only under certain strict conditions, such as high temperature or humidity. Or products that can have waste return systems in place.
So it's not always smooth sale, but it becomes gradually easier to shift our own lifestyle and eventually the entire economy by leading by example and by using our voices to raise awareness and inspire others to emulate us.
