16 Circular Economy Flashcards
What is linear economy?
It is an economic model that works on the principal of ‘take, make and dispose’
What happens during linear economy? Mention resources and products
Resources and energy are often from finite resources
Products are not made to be recycled, reused or re-purposed
Products are simply disposed of at the end of life often in landfill
How does nature work as it is different to linear economy?
It instead works in a circular way
How does circular happen economy in nature?
- A plant grows from a seed
- Animals feed on foliage or fruit
- Seeds are spread in spreadings
- Predation enables the supply of energy from animal to animal
How do you build a circular economy?
To build a circular economy we must re-think the way we make and use products to re-balance our consumption
What are ways to rebuild circular economy?
- Designing products that can be maintained and mended
- Manufacturing using renewable or alternative energy
- Using sustainable or recycled materials
What are the different stakeholders in design?
Governments, Designers, Manufacturers, Retailers, Consumers
What is fairtrade about?
- Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in less economically developed countries.
Fairtrade foundation also provide a premium to farmers to invest in their communities
What is little sun’s objective?
Little sun ‘s objective is to bring solar energy to those who are without electricity
What are the benefits of solar energy?
Solar energy reduces energy costs and CO2 emissions.
It also brings social, medical and educational benefits
This one of the United Nation’s sustainable development goals
What happens when you build obsolescence into a product?
It makes the product hard or impossible to repair which then leads to consumers to throw away a broken product and replace it rather than repair it.
What is the new legislation - June 2021?
Manufacturers will now have to make spare parts available for washing machines, washer-dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators and TVs for the first time. Repairs also need to be possible using everyday tools.
What happens to parts of appliances due to the new legislation 2021?
Some parts will have to be available within two years of an appliance going on sale, and up until either seven or 10 years after the product has been discontinued, depending on the part.
Some parts will only be available to professional repairers, while others will be available to everyone, so you can fix it yourself.
What is cradle to cradle?
Cradle to cradle or C2C design is a new approach to design and manufacture that fits into the ethos of the circular economy.
5 positive things cradle to cradle do?
- Reuse of any waste created
- A holistic approach to design
- Reduction of carbon footprint
- Cleaning any waste water for reuse of it
- Eliminating the use of toxic materials
What do recycled plastic waste do?
They use 100% recycled plastic waste to produce new materials
What form do smile plastics come in?
They come in sheet form which is ideal for creating a range of products
What are features of smile plastic sheets?
- A wide range of patterns and colours are available
- Sheets can be cut and machined
What is people power?
This is a group of people in the Welsh coastal village of Aberporth that has launched a crusade against the use of single-use plastic products.
What has people power done?
- The village shop is selling milk in glass bottles
- The pub has stopped using throw-away plastic products like straws, condiment sachets and milk containers.
- A café has pledged to use wooden cutlery notepad of plastic and has invited customers to bring their own mugs.
What is M&S ‘Plan A’
In 2007, Marks and Spencer introduced an initiative called ‘Plan A’
What are the aims in M&S ‘plan A’
- Zero waste to landfill
- Recyclable packaging
- Sustainably sourced products
- Reduced energy consumption
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- In 2012, they announced they were carbon neutral
What steps are high street brands taking to step toward sustainability?
- Giving money off vouchers or trade in services for old clothes
- Offering to buy back electronic products, refurbishing and grading them for resale
- Buying used books, CDs or DVDs
What must designers consider for the long term sustainability of products?
They must consider the materials and components of a product.
What are examples of what designers must do to ensure long-term sustainability?
- Limiting use of materials from finite resources like metal ores and crude oil.
- Designing products with fewer integrated materials
- Processing materials sing sustainable energy
What does recharge mean in sustainability?
Battery technology and electronic products are gradually developing in ways that reduce impact on the environment
What are examples of recharge?
- There is a drive to use fewer Rare Earth Elements (REEs)in electronics manufacturing
- Rechargeable battery power sources are slowly replacing disposable batteries
What is a problem with batteries?
Many batteries still require an enormous amount of energy and REEs to produce and correct battery disposal is still a major issue.
What must designers also consider about a product?
They must consider the type and amount of packaging used to contain them.
How should products be manufactured?
They should be manufactured in a way that makes them easy to disssemble
What is integrated packaging?
It uses mixed materials often combined in a way that cannot easily be separated
