UNIT 15 L2 CIRCULAR ECONOMY Flashcards
What is a circular economy?
Aims to use materials in a way that ensures a continual cycle of reuse and remanufacture, without utilising wasteful resources or having products end their life in landfills.
What is an approach for a linear economy?
Raw materials are taken from the source, made into porudcts which may last from a few minutes to a few years and then disposed of in landfill.
How can manufacturers adopt methods to support a circular economy?
- Product leasing (popular approach for IT hardware and tool hire), take-back (Such as the Dyson method of taking back a Dyson product for recycling at the end of its life at no cost to the consumer)
What ‘nutrient’ types does circular economy consider?
- Biological nutrients
- Technical nutrients
What are biological ‘nutrients’?
Organic non-toxic materials that can be simply composted and safely re-enter ecosystems without harming the natural environment. E.g., plant-based and biodegradable materials, shampoos, cleaning detergents, can be washed down drains without harm to local ecosystems
What are Technical ‘nutrients’?
man-made materials include polymers and alloys, designed to be used repeatedly at the same initial high quality with minimal energy and no adverse environmental effects. Things like cars and washing machines are made from technical nutrients. Designed to be used and then recycled at the end of its life.
How can a circular economy be built?
Must re-think the way we make and use products to re-balance our consumption.
Designing products that can be maintained and mended.
Manufacturing using renewable energy/
Using sustainable or recycled materials.
What is FairTrade?
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in less economically developed countries
Explain what the ‘Little Sun’ is?
Little Sun was founded in 2012 with the objective of bringing solar energy to those who are without electricity. Solar energy reduces energy costs and CO2 emissions, brings social, medical and educational benefits.
What do manufactureres do that make it hard to repair products?
Many manufacturers build obsolenscence into a product which makes it hard or impossible to repair
What is Cradle to Cradle design?
C2C design is a new approach to design and manufacture that fits into the ethos of the circular economy
What does Cradle to Cradle design involve?
Reuse of any waste created
A holistic approach to design
Reduction of carbon footprint
Cleaning any waste water for reuse
Eliminate the use of toxic materials
What are Smile Plastics?
Smile Plastics use 100% recycled plastic waste to produce new materials, the materials come in sheet form ideal for creating a range of products.
What is meant by the ‘People power’?
The Welsh coastal village of Aberporth has launched a crusade against single-use plastic products.
How has the people who are apart of the ‘People power’ reduce use of single-use plastics?
village shop, which is selling milk in glass bottles
The local pub has stopped using throw-away straws, condiment sachets and milk containers
A cafe, which has pledged to use wooden cutlery instead of plastics and has invited customers to bring their own mugs
What are the aims of ‘Plan A’ introduced by Marks and Spencer?
- Zero waste to landfill
- Recyclable packaging
- Sustainability sourced products
- Reduced energy consumption
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- Announced that they were carbon neutral in 2012
