Circular Economy
The constant stream of new models, products and processes that are helping organizations extend the useful life of resources and materials while reducing, repurposing and ultimately eliminating waste in all its forms
Meet the Company Extending the Life of Some of Our Most Common (and Uncommon) Waste Streams
Through a nationwide network of independent haulers and reverse-recycling carriers linked through an app-based platform, CheckSammy brings long-overdue change to an outdated waste-management and recycling industry. ... View More
Apple Products to Include 100% Recycled Cobalt, Rare Earth Metals by 2025
Accelerated timeline for cobalt and other elements paves new path for key recycled metals in batteries, magnets and circuit boards. ... View More
As Forests React to Climate Change, Can Genetically Modified Trees Stand in the Gap?
In the lab, Living Carbon’s GM poplars accumulated biomass up to 53% faster, trapping as much as 27% more carbon than non-engineered poplars. But skeptics aren’t convinced they’re seeing the forest for the trees. ... View More
Astral Tequila Turning Spent Agave Into Bricks to Build Homes for Mexican Families in Need
Astral’s 'This Round's for the House' initiative is part of the Adobe Brick Project — its ongoing upcycling program to build homes and brighten communities in Jalisco. ... View More
Drink Even More Responsibly: Bonterra Wines Are Farmed Like the World Depends on It
The certified B Corp winery has achieved climate neutrality, zero waste and Regenerative Organic Certification — setting a new standard for future-friendly wines. ... View More
re:loom Is Helping the Unhoused, Refugees and Low-Income Women Weave a Better Life
The organization provides paid, on-site job training for weavers, 100% healthcare coverage and opportunities to engage in re:loom’s operations while creating upcycled housewares and accessories. ... View More
Trawling for Plastic: Solution or Distraction?
Some say the outsized focus on legacy plastics cleanup is analogous to carbon removal versus reducing carbon emissions at the source: ‘like putting a band-aid on a broken leg.’ ... View More
Trending: Retailers Embrace Reuse, Credits in Ongoing Fight Against Plastic Waste
rePurpose Global helps Thrive Market achieve plastic neutrality for its own-brand products, while The Body Shop expands its refillable offerings in the US. ... View More
New Beer Made from Treated Wastewater Highlights Potential of Water Reuse
The San Francisco Bay Area-based pilot project reallocated 2,000 gallons of treated water from a residential high-rise to become more than 7,000 cans of beer. ... View More
The Problem with Recycling, Part 3: Reducing Confusion and Boosting Consumer Confidence
This is the third in a three-part series covering key opportunities to turn 'the plastic-recycling problem' into a sustainable, circular plastic economy. ... View More
New Study Uses Norway as Test Case for Achieving Circularity, Net Zero by 2040
Norway is the first country to scrutinize such a comprehensive scope of plastic sectors, making this study one of the most holistic views of a national plastic system ever presented. ... View More
Mixed-Income, Net-Zero Community Under Development in Michigan
THRIVE Collaborative designed Veridian from an honest look at what is actually required for a housing community to achieve net-zero goals. ... View More
Alarming IPCC Report Makes It Clear: We Can’t Wait to Invest in Nature
Nature-based solutions aren’t a silver-bullet climate solution, but neither is placing all bets on future technologies. If we don't invest in nature now, we can soon expect to spend far more on climate damage with far fewer paths forward. ... View More
First Liquid-Heat Engine Can Upcycle 70% of the World’s Waste Heat Into Clean Energy
Luminescent’s circular solution uses isothermal processes to capture and store waste heat, transforming a previously inaccessible resource into zero-waste power. ... View More
New Guide Details Tangible Solutions for Retailers to Move ‘Beyond the Bag’
Playbook highlights solutions from the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag that drive near-term, positive environmental impact and cost savings from eliminating single-use plastic bags. ... View More
Recenter and Accelerate: Japanese Brands Discuss Future-Proofing the Country’s Economy
“How is the world transforming itself, and how is that going to be linked to corporate activities? We need to achieve symbiosis with that.” — Akihiro Inatsugi, Bridgestone ... View More
The Problem with Recycling, Part 2: Increasing Recycled Content in New Products
This is the second in a three-part series covering key opportunities to turn “the plastic recycling problem” into a circular economy for plastics. ... View More
Not Their Waste, But Still Their Problem: How Alaska Is Managing an Influx of Global Marine Debris
A multi-stakeholder, community-based collaboration and an innovative model of plastic-waste recovery are helping to clean up the Gulf of Alaska. ... View More
McKinsey: Circular Economy for Cement Could Be Worth €110B by 2050
The concrete industry is responsible for 8% of all global carbon emissions; and 30-40% of today’s solid waste is created through the construction and maintenance of the built environment. ... View More
Investor Coalition to Engage Seafood Sector on Key Nature Risks, Impacts
New WWF research shows some banks and investors recognize the potential for ESG risks in seafood but most lack robust or actionable policies. ... View More
