{"id":35726,"date":"2020-06-07T16:32:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-07T16:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.natgeokids.com\/uk\/?p=35726"},"modified":"2022-08-09T12:38:44","modified_gmt":"2022-08-09T12:38:44","slug":"all-about-the-circular-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.natgeokids.com\/nz\/discover\/science\/general-science\/all-about-the-circular-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"All about the circular economy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Currently, humans produce WAY too much waste. We make products, consume them and then chuck them away, littering our planet in the process. But what if there was a different way to do things?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LINEAR ECONOMY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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In the natural world<\/strong>, there isn\u2019t any rubbish<\/strong> or landfill<\/strong>. Energy is provided by the Sun<\/strong>, one species’ waste<\/strong> is another’s food<\/strong> and when things die, their nutrients return to the soil \u2014 in a circle of life<\/strong>. Unfortunately, humans do things in a more linear <\/strong>way\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n

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When we want the latest phone <\/strong>or computer<\/strong>, we tend to bin the old one<\/strong>. When our dishwasher<\/strong> breaks, we buy a brand-new one<\/strong>. But this wasteful approach, known as the linear economy <\/strong>isn\u2019t working! We\u2019re running out of resources<\/strong> to make new things with, and we’re producing too much toxic waste<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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That\u2019s why we need to move to a circular economy<\/strong>, inspired by the natural world<\/strong> \u2014 where everything<\/strong> has value<\/strong> and nothing is wasted \u2014 like the diagram below illustrates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CIRCULAR ECONOMY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Click to view full-size image<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n

EXAMPLE!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a circular economy<\/strong>, smart phones would be designed so they could be repaired<\/strong> more easily. And when they stopped working they would be simple to take apart so that the precious metals<\/strong> and materials inside them could be reused<\/strong> in another product, or returned safely to nature<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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