The Circular Economy Show Podcast

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

About

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation welcomes you to The Circular Economy Show, a podcast about a new way to design, make, and use things, and how we can build an economy that's fit for the 21st century.

Available on

Community

149 episodes

Reuse and repair: Africa’s long tradition of maximasing materials

In the last episode of our series sharing some of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's most popular articles, we explore the world of reuse and repair. Travelling to the African continent, we find out how people and businesses have been embracing  strategies to maximize material use for a long time Reuse and repair are critical aspects of a circular economy, but despite clear benefits, they've yet to gain a foothold in the Global North. Whilst greater awareness and new legislation are beginning to shift the needle, driving better use of products and materials in the North, African companies have long been applying creative and innovative approaches to maximize material usage. So what can be learnt? Read the full article https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/making-the-most-of-materials?utm_term=exclude&utm_source=exclude&utm_term=exclude

20m
Apr 02
The psychology of ownership in the circular economy

In part two of our series sharing some of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's most popular articles, we dig deep into the psychology behind why we like to own things. We’ll also explore the alternatives that the circular economy offers. Read the article here https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/unpicking-the-psychological-reasons-people-like-to-own-things?utm_campaign=broadcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/design&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate

21m
Mar 26
How the circular economy helps us stay within planetary boundaries

In our new three-part series, we’re sharing three of the most popular articles written by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s editorial team. In today’s episode, we explore how a circular economy can keep us stay within the nine planetary boundaries set out by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, such as climate change, novel entities (otherwise known as pollution) and ocean acidification. Read the full article https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/how-the-circular-economy-can-help-us-stay-within-planetary-boundaries?utm_campaign=broadcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/climate&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate

20m
Mar 19
Designing for the customer: Fashion lessons from Zimbabwe with Rudo Nondo

In this episode, we hear from Rudo Nondo, a creative design practitioner and the acting Managing Director of Fashion Revolution. She tells us how her upbringing in Zimbabwe has shaped her clothing philosophy and explains why she’s passionate about circular design for fashion. Learn more about Rudo Nondo in the Foundation’s Fashion Book https://circulardesignfashion.emf.org/?_gl=1*189crwp*_ga*NDk4NjM4MzI3LjE3MDU0OTYwNTE.*_ga_V32N675KJX*MTcwOTU1NzIyMi41NS4xLjE3MDk1NTcyNDAuNDIuMC4w&utm_campaign=broadcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/fashion&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate Watch our Circular Economy Show episode with Rudo Nondo https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/videos/redesigning-the-fashion-industry-by-creatives-for-creatives?utm_campaign=broadcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/fashion&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate

19m
Mar 05
Redesigning food systems for nature to thrive

Is there a better way to produce our food? Today, we circle back to one episode of our award-nominated Redesigning Food series in this episode. We’ll rediscover what a circular economy for food would look like, meet the people working to make it happen, and we’ll look at how it can be scaled to feed a growing population. Find out more about the Big Food Redesign Challenge https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/resources/food-redesign/overview?utm_campaign=food-challenge-production-phase&utm_medium=email&utm_source=emf_public_monthly_newsletter&utm_content=link/food&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate, which has now entered its production phase. Successful participants are working hard to turn their product designs into reality and will have the opportunity to bring products to market with supportive Challenge Retail Partners.  Did you miss out on our Redesigning Food Series? Listen to the other 4 episodes on our website https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/podcasts/a-circular-economy-for-food-series?utm_campaign=food-challenge-production-phase&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate. Our podcast series 'Redesigning Food' has been shortlisted for Best Limited Series https://vote.lovieawards.com/PublicVoting#/2023/podcasts/features/best-limited-series at the Lovie Awards 2023. https://www.lovieawards.com/ If you're passionate about the transition to a circular economy, why not give us a review or leave a comment on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5xM7ZrVqYspbTs2bNa2wyf? It'll help us reach more people who can make a difference!

18m
Feb 27
Lily Cole & Ellen MacArthur: why we need optimism to shift mindsets

How can optimism and creativity help us transition to a circular economy? In this episode, model, actress and activist, Lily Cole joins Ellen MacArthur and Emma Chow to discuss her journey from fashion model to environmental activist. They discuss progress towards a circular economy, emphasising collaborative efforts among businesses, citizens, and policymakers.  Join us as we delve into the possibilities and challenges of transitioning to a more circular world. Thanks for tuning in to the Circular Economy Show!

26m
Feb 20
Repairing our belongings: applying circular design

What if we could design our belongings to elongate their useful life? In this episode, we delve into the world of repair, shifting the focus from disposable products to ones that are designed to be repaired. Join us as we explore the potential for third-party repairs to flourish. Hear from Conny Bakker, Professor of Design Methodology for Sustainability and Circular Economy at TU Delft and Sojo’s co-founder Josephine Phillips, who are both calling for repair to play a greater part in our economy. Your support helps us get to more people interested in the circular economy, so please leave us a review, or leave us a comment on Spotify! 

15m
Feb 13
The power of biomaterials: 3 regenerative design solutions

How do we shift today’s economic system to one that helps to regenerate nature? In this episode, we’ll meet three companies developing materials that work in harmony with our environment and learn how such innovations can be scaled. Co-founder of Materiom, Liz Corbin, spoke to her fellow co-founders Alysia Garmulewicz, Julia Marsh from Sway and Ehab Sayed from Biohm at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Innovation Day in 2022. Your feedback helps us reach more people interested in the circular economy, so please take a moment to leave us a review!

16m
Feb 06
Regenerative fashion: embracing a system shift for designers

In this week's episode, we circle back to understand the third principle of a circular economy: 'regenerating nature', and its application in the fashion industry. Our guest, Josie Warden, former Head of Regenerative Design at the RSA, joins us as we explore how circular design offers a way to create a fashion industry that can flourish in harmony with nature. Learn more about The RSA https://www.thersa.org/ and their work to create an impact.  If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more like it, please take a moment to leave us a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us reach more people interested in the circular economy!

18m
Jan 30
Christiana Figueres and Ellen MacArthur: Closing the loop to fight climate change

In this first episode of our Circling Back season, Christiana Figueres and Ellen MacArthur bring us an inspiring conversation about the role of circular thinking in addressing the causes of climate change and in finding its solutions. Join us as we explore the role of the circular economy in decarbonisation and the need for optimism to fix our climate. If you want to hear from more insightful guests like Christiana Figueres, please leave us a review! Let's spread the word and inspire positive change together.  Are you interested in knowing more about the latest COP? Our Climate Lead, Miranda Schnitger, has collected the outcomes of COP28 in one of our latest editorials: COP28: Key takeaways https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/cop28-key-takeaways?utm_campaign=cop-28&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/climate&utm_term=GCCM/intermediate

25m
Jan 23
New Series: Circling Back

Welcome back to the Circular Economy Show! In our first series of the year, we're circling back to some of our most exciting conversations with leading thinkers from the world of technology, fashion, material design and climate. Join us every Tuesday for a new episode. Subscribe to the Circular Economy Show so you never miss an episode. If you've been enjoying the show, we would love it if you could take a moment to leave us a review. Your support helps us accelerate the transition to a circular economy. 

37s
Jan 18
2023 in review: A year exploring the circular economy

This year on the Circular Economy Show Podcast we’ve heard from people working across many different industries, from farming to fashion, policy to plastics. In this episode, we explore some of our favourite moments from 2023.  Thanks for joining us this year. We’ll be back in 2024 with more stories from the circular economy. If you’d like to get in touch with us, you can email us at podcast@emf.org Have a listen to all episodes mentioned during this episode:  Ep 104: Could we grow a building? How Biohm is using biotechnologies to advance the circular economy https://the-circular-economy-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/could-we-grow-a-building-how-biohm-is-using-biotechnologies-to-advance-the-circular-economy Ep 105: Creating better packaging from seaweed with Notpla https://the-circular-economy-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/creating-better-packaging-from-seaweed-with-notpla Ep 107: Is there a better way to produce our food? | Redesigning Food series https://the-circular-economy-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/is-there-a-better-way-to-produce-our-food-redesigning-food-series Ep 117: Es Devlin on the power of art to inspire change https://the-circular-economy-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/es-devlin-on-the-power-of-art-to-inspire-change Ep 126: Changing the way we buy and use technology with Back Market https://the-circular-economy-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/changing-the-way-we-buy-and-use-technology-with-back-market Ep 132: How Troquer became Latin America’s leading preloved fashion start-up https://the-circular-economy-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/ep-132-how-troquer-became-latin-americas-leading-preloved-fashion-start-up

13m
Dec 19, 2023
Patrick McDowell: Meet the designer taking circular fashion to the catwalk

In the final episode of our fashion series, we go to London to meet Patrick McDowell, a pioneering British high-end designer who has been applying circular design for fashion since starting their career. They tell us about their journey and their vision for the future of the fashion industry. Learn more about Patrick McDowell’s brand and journey https://patrickmcdowell.co.uk/ Have a look at Patrick's collection for Rambert Dance Company https://patrickmcdowell.co.uk/pages/a-tragedy-of-fashion

9m
Dec 12, 2023
How Troquer became Latin America’s leading preloved fashion start-up

In the second episode of our fashion series, we head to Mexico City to meet Troquer’s co-founders, Lucia and Ytzia. They discuss how they’ve become Latin America’s leading resale marketplace for quality fashion items and the challenges they’ve faced on their journey. Learn more about Troquer https://troquer.com.mx/

9m
Dec 05, 2023
Rental, Resale, Recommerce: ACS’ journey towards circular fashion solutions

Welcome to our new fashion series, where we'll meet three companies working towards a circular economy for fashion. In this first episode, we visit Europe's largest circular fashion hub, Advanced Clothing Solutions (ACS), to learn how they’re helping businesses to make money without making new clothes.   Learn more about ACS https://acsclothing.co.uk/

21m
Nov 28, 2023
Let’s collaborate: How Jaguar Land Rover is creating circular partnerships

In this episode, we hear from Reuben Chorley, Sustainable Industrial Operations Director at Jaguar Land Rover. Together we will dive deeper into the world of i-Pace Jaguar car batteries, and how these are being given a second life renewable energy sector.    Back to basics: Circulate products and materials https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circulate-products-and-materials?utm_campaign=podcast-ep130&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/business&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediatects-and-materials A circular economy for batteries to underpin renewable energy growth https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/a-circula?utm_campaign=podcast-ep130&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/business&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediater-economy-for-batteries-to-underpin-renewable-energy-growth

17m
Nov 21, 2023
Use your imagination: Julie Hjort's mission to design a circular future

Time for something a little different in this episode! Join us as we head to Copenhagen to meet Julie Hjort, Director of Sustainable Transformation at the Danish Design Center. From her office in the Danish capital, Julie reflects on how design is key to creating new pathways towards a circular economy, and how she works with her multi-disciplinary team to find solutions to tricky problems.    Learn more about the Danish Design Center https://ddc.dk/?utm_campaign=podcast-ep129&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/design&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate

9m
Nov 14, 2023
How banks can help the transition to a circular economy with Intesa Sanpaolo

In this episode, we’ll join Gianmarco, Luigi and Cristina from the Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo to learn how the circular economy has become a strategic priority for them and discuss the critical connection between the circular economy, biodiversity loss and climate mitigation in relation to finance.   Learn more about the Foundation’s work on financing the circular economy https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/finance/overview?utm_campaign=podcast-ep128&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/finance&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate.

20m
Nov 07, 2023
Progress, challenges and solutions: Learnings from five years of the Global Commitment with Sander Defruyt

In 2018, the Foundation alongside the UN Environment Programme https://www.unep.org/new-plastics-economy-global-commitment launched the Global Commitment, the biggest global voluntary effort to tackle plastic waste and pollution. In this podcast episode, we hear from Sander Defruyt, Plastics Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, who reflects on the progress and learnings to date from five years of the Global Commitment, the need for a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution, and what makes him feel optimistic about the last five years.   Learn more about the Global Commitment Five Years In https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/global-commitment/overview?utm_campaign=gc-2023&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/plastics&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate

29m
Oct 31, 2023
The Circular Economy Show Podcast - Trailer

Welcome to The Circular Economy Show Podcast. Join the team from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as each week we explore the innovations that can address issues such as climate change, waste, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Get ready to be inspired, informed, and empowered. Subscribe now so you never miss an episode.

31s
Oct 24, 2023
Changing the way we buy and use technology with Back Market

In this week’s episode, Jess Mevel travels to Bordeaux, France, to learn how Back Market is working to make refurbished tech better than new. Back Market https://www.backmarket.co.uk/en-gb is an online marketplace founded in 2014, who are on a mission to help make refurbished electronic products more reliable, affordable, and better than new.

19m
Oct 17, 2023
Building landscapes for nature with Arup’s Neil Harwood

To conclude this bite-sized series on regenerative design, in this week’s episode, Neil Harwood, Associate Director at Arup, elaborates on his company’s efforts to deliver nature-positive projects in different parts of the world. We’ll have an insight into their results with A30 in Cornwall and the Sea Wall project in Shenzhen, South China. Arup https://www.arup.com/ is a global collective of designers, engineering and sustainability consultants, advisors and experts dedicated to sustainable development, and to using imagination, technology and rigour to shape a better world. Have a look at the projects Neil describes in this podcast episode https://emf.thirdlight.com/link/tll18qrg4y6a-x73ed3 Learn more about the work of Arup in developing a circular economy for buildings https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/videos/a-circular-economy-for-buildings-arup?utm_campaign=podcast-ep125&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/design&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate

5m
Oct 10, 2023
Making the case for Biomimicry with Janine Benyus

In the penultimate episode of our bite-sized series on regenerative design, this week we hear from Janine Benyus, author of , on how to combine ambition and biomimicry to create regenerative infrastructures in our cities.    Learn more about the connection between circular economy, biomimicry, and doughnut economics https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/podcasts/ep-91-profound-connections-the-circular-economy-biomimicry-and-doughnut?utm_campaign=podcast-ep124&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/generic&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate Find out more about biomimicry and the work of Janine Benyus https://biomimicry.org/

4m
Oct 03, 2023
Scaling regenerative design for a circular economy with Nicole Miller

As part of our bite-sized series on regenerative design, this week, we hear from Nicole Miller at Biomimicry 3.8's Project Positive about key ways it can be scaled within companies and communities. Project Positive is a group of change agents dedicated to raising the bar on what acting sustainably means—driven by a sense of urgency to move beyond arbitrary reduction goals to science-based targets and actions that are generous to the ecosystems, employees, and communities we operate.  Learn more about how biomimicry can help us develop regenerative built environments https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-generous-city?utm_campaign=podcast-ep123&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/cities&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate.

3m
Sep 26, 2023
Inspired by nature: Creating a regenerative built environment with Michael Pawlyn

In this week’s bite-sized episode we hear from Michael Pawlyn, known for his work in biomimetic architecture and innovation. Michael uses nature-inspired design to create fundamentally different results for business, people and the environment in spaces and buildings.   Ep 92: Redesigning the future https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/podcasts/redesigning-the-future?utm_campaign=podcast-ep122&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/built_env&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate

4m
Sep 19, 2023
Moving towards a regenerative future with Kate Raworth

What dynamics prevent us from moving from a linear to a circular economy? In this episode, Kate Raworth, author of the book , shares with us an inspiring reflection on how we need to collectively rethink our economy to ensure that no one falls short of life's essentials without overshooting the boundaries of our environment.   Shifting mindsets: a regenerative future - Summit 22 https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/videos/session-one-shifting-mindsets-a-regenerative-future?sortBy=rel&utm_campaign=podcast-ep121&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/regen&utm_term=GCCM/intermediate Systems and the circular economy: Deep dive https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/videos/session-one-shifting-mindsets-a-regenerative-future?utm_campaign=podcast-ep121&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/regen&utm_term=GCCM/intermediate    

6m
Sep 13, 2023
How is the circular economy gaining momentum in US policy?

In this episode, we hear from Costa Samaras from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, to learn how policy is helping the circular economy to take hold in the USA.   Find out more about the role of policy in the circular economy. https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/resources/government-and-policy/overview?utm_campaign=podcast-ep120&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/policy&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate  

10m
Sep 05, 2023
Growing ambition in the food system with Unilever and The Sustainable Food Trust

As the brand behind products including Ben and Jerry’s, Hellmann’s and Marmite, Unilever https://www.unilever.co.uk/ represents an important opportunity to scale a circular economy for food. In this episode, we’ll hear from the company’s Vice President & Managing Director, Eric Soubeiran, about how the business is shifting towards a regenerative and nature-positive approach in the creation of its products. We’ll also hear from The Sustainable Food Trust https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/’s Patrick Holden, who partnered with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to launch the Big Food Redesign Challenge earlier this year.   Join the Big Food Redesign Challenge https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-big-food-redesign-challenge/overview?utm_campaign=podcast-ep119&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/food&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate Listen to the Redesigning Food series https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/podcasts/a-circular-economy-for-food-series?utm_campaign=podcast-ep119&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/food&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate

11m
Aug 29, 2023
Changing the story with Waterbear and WPP

How can we use storytelling to get people to move away from the problems of a linear economy to explore the solutions offered by a circular one? In this episode, we’ll hear from Sam Sutaria, chief executive of streaming platform Waterbear, and Hannah Harrison, Chief Sustainability Officer at WPP, about the opportunities around sharing experiences from the circular economy. Visit the Circular Economy Show Podcast back catalogue https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/circular-economy-podcast/overview?utm_campaign=podcast-ep118&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/generic&utm_term=FUTEN/intermediate Explore the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s channel, Full Circle, on Waterbear https://www.waterbear.com/watch/full-circle

16m
Aug 22, 2023
Es Devlin on the power of art to inspire change

When we talk about the circular economy, we often think about the technical aspects of transitioning away from the linear economy. In this episode, the artist Es Devlin talks to curator and author Francesca Gavin about the power of art to inspire change.  Find out more about the power of art in driving systems change https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/the-role-of-art-in-driving-systems-change?utm_campaign=podcast-ep117&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/generic&utm_term=FUTEN/beginner Learn more about how art can change the economy for the better https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/videos/how-can-art-shape-the-economy-for-the-better?utm_campaign=podcast-ep117&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=ce_show_podcast&utm_content=link/generic&utm_term=FUTEN/beginner

16m
Aug 15, 2023