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

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

eBay Drops ALEC After Pressure From Environmental Groups; Activists Set Sights on AT&T, UPS

Published on December 19, 2014

About a 1 minute read

On Thursday, after months of pressure from climate change activists, eBay confirmed its departure from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).“This is a major victory for those of us who have continued to pressure eBay executives to drop... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Reports Find Over 5 Trillion Pieces of Plastic Floating in the World’s Oceans … and 10,000 Times More in the Deep Sea

Published on December 18, 2014

About a 4 minute read

More than five trillion pieces of plastic, collectively weighing nearly 269,000 tons, are floating in the world’s oceans and causing damage throughout the food chain, according to new research by the 5 Gyres Institute — but that is apparently a d... View More

Article

Circular Economy Materials & Packaging

Purdue Researchers Turn Biomass Waste into Valuable Chemical Products

Published on December 18, 2014

About a 3 minute read

A team of researchers from Purdue University's Center for Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio) has developed a new catalytic process that converts biomass waste into chemical products that can be used in fragrances, flavorings o... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Waste Management's 2014 Sustainability Report Chronicles Journey to Zero Waste

Published on December 15, 2014

About a 2 minute read

Waste Management’s just-released 2014 Sustainability Report, Creating a Circular Economy, documents the company’s progress on recycling, energy production, transforming waste into valuable resources and helping businesses move toward zero waste.�... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Researchers Turn Old Toothpaste Tubes Into Aluminum and Fuel

Published on December 11, 2014

About a 2 minute read

Nestlé, Kraft Foods and Mondelez International are helping fund a new commercial-scale recycling plant that can turn old toothpaste tubes into aluminum and fuel in only three minutes.This type of plastic-aluminum laminate waste, often used in drink ... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Survey: 20% of Americans Will Forgo Wrapping Holiday Gifts

Published on December 10, 2014

About a 1 minute read

One out of five (20 percent) of Americans will forgo wrapping holiday gifts this year to reduce holiday waste, according to a new survey from ecoATM, a nationwide network of device recycling kiosks.More than half (52 percent) of respondents said they... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

VWR Tackling Single-Use Garment Waste with New Recycling Program

Published on December 4, 2014

About a 2 minute read

VWR, provider of laboratory products, services and solutions, has launched a new recycling initiative that allows U.S. customers to recycle a variety of single-use garments.Through "Gown Up, Give Back”, VWR hopes to help reduce the millions of... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Peers Launches New Suite of Tools to Help Workers Overcome Challenges in Sharing Economy Landscape

Published on December 4, 2014

About a 5 minute read

Peers, an independent community whose mission is to make the rapidly growing sharing economy work for the people who power it, is today adding two new services to support its 250,000 members: Homeshare Liability Insurance — a comprehensive personal... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Are You Interested in Redesigning the Global Economy? 2015 Wild Card Competition Now Open

Published on December 1, 2014

About a 3 minute read

An amazing opportunity for one student from any university in the world to win a place in the exclusive Schmidt-MacArthur Fellowship Programme — an international postgraduate fellowship on the circular economy for design, engineering and business s... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Geoengineering: Are You Feeling Lucky?

Published on November 27, 2014

About a 7 minute read

“No man chooses evil because it is evil; he only mistakes it for happiness,the good he seeks.”— Mary WollstonecraftI’ve got a bad feeling about this…There has been increasing discussion of late, in the context of the IPCC's latest report on... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Fashion, Scuba Giants the Latest to Close the Loop on Textiles

Published on November 25, 2014

About a 4 minute read

The concept of the circular economy — a more thoughtful approach to how we process materials and manufacture products — continues to gain traction, especially in the textile and fashion industry. In the last few weeks, some of the industry’s bi... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Fetzer Becomes First Winery to Receive Platinum Zero Waste Certification

Published on November 24, 2014

About a 2 minute read

Mendocino County-based Fetzer Vineyards recently announced that it has received platinum level Zero Waste certification from the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council (USZWBC). Platinum certification, the highest level offered by the USZWBC, recognizes th... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Novelis to Convert All Beverage Can Sheets to High-Recycled Content evercan™ Aluminum by 2017

Published on November 13, 2014

About a 2 minute read

Novelis, producer of aluminum rolling products, has announced a new commitment to convert all of its beverage can body sheet production to its evercan sheet by the end of 2017. ... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Levi’s, 49ers Collaborate to Reduce Waste with ‘Field of Jeans’

Published on November 12, 2014

About a 6 minute read

Sunday, November 2, was not one of the finer days for the San Francisco 49ers, as the team lost a close game to the St. Louis Rams and fell further behind in the NFL playoff chase. But while the score on the field was disappointing for 49er fans, ano... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

CA Plastic Bag Ban Spurs Hiring Boom For Reusable Bag Manufacturer

Published on November 10, 2014

About a 2 minute read

California’s recent ban on single-use plastic bags has, as one might expect, led to a boom for reusable bag manufacturers in the Golden State. One manufacturer, Earthwise Bag Company, says it increased the number of U.S. workers employed in the pro... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

CDP Identifies 853 Water Risks Threatening Growth For World's Largest Companies

Published on November 5, 2014

About a 5 minute read

Two-thirds of the world's largest companies are reporting exposure to water risks, some of which have potential to limit growth, according to a new report by CDP. The news comes amid mounting shareholder concern around the business impacts from water... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Southwest Airlines Upcycles 80,000 Old Seat Coverings in U.S. and Kenya

Published on November 4, 2014

About a 2 minute read

Southwest Airlines has announced the distribution of products made in Kenya and the U.S. as part of its global upcycling initiative LUV Seat: Repurpose with Purpose. The distribution in Kenya completes the second phase of the multi-year environmental... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Living Packaging Keeps Produce Fresh with Built-in Roots

Published on November 3, 2014

About a 2 minute read

A student in the United Kingdom has developed an innovative form of food packaging that incorporates the living roots of fruit and vegetables to allow them to continue ripening until they are ready to eat.Called Nurture, the packaging takes the form ... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

e-Stewards Launches Online e-Waste Trading Platform

Published on October 24, 2014

About a 2 minute read

The Basel Action Network (BAN) has announced they are bringing to market an online trading platform that will allow businesses to easily recycle used electronics with some of the world's most responsible electronic waste recyclers — those certified... View More

Article

Circular Economy Circular Economy

Chevy's New Bi-Fuel Impala Can Be Powered by Everything from Sewage and Food Scraps to Beer

Published on October 21, 2014

About a 3 minute read

As more and more organizations are finding ways to create fuel from waste — case in point: Italy is about to become the first country to require cars and trucks to run on biofuel made from agricultural waste — Chevrolet says its 2015 Bi-fuel Impa... View More

Get the report

Upcoming Events

Thursday, October 29, 2026

EPR in Practice: How HelloFresh Navigates Packaging Regulation

Webinar

Beyond the Pilot: What It Really Takes to Scale Food Loss and Waste Solutions

Webinar

SB Member Network: Selling Sustainability and Shifting Consumer Demand and Behavior December Member Meeting

Member Event

More Information

See All Events >