Zero waste in a world of waste
Exploring the most important principle of Circular Economy and its relevance in today world.
The Myth of Infinite Resources.
In the nineteenth century during the boom of industrial production and the proliferation of cheap, standardized products, a dangerous misconception took hold. Environment resources -soil, clean water and air, forests, animals, minerals, etc. - were considered to be immeasurably vast, perpetually regenerative and subject to infinite growth. Some even saw Nature as a force to be controlled and tamed. This dichotomy between nature and industry was widely accepted. Nature and industry were at odds.
A wake-up call.
Today, we know there is no truth in these beliefs. Extensive research, books, and reports provide evidence of the finite nature of our planet's resources. One powerful indicator is Earth Overshoot Day, marking the date “when humanity's demand for resources exceeds what Earth can regenerate in a year”. This year, in 2024, Earth Overshot Day happened on August 1st. In 2074 it fell on November 30th. By 2030, we would need two planets Earth to sustain our lifestyle and consumption levels.
How is this possible when we just have one Earth? you may ask. Simple as this: we are depleting the planet’s natural resources, consuming resources that are meant for future generations.
Climate change, acidification of the oceans, environmental depletion, and all the other environmental and social issues faced today, compel us to an urgent change.
The era of “Business as usual” is over.
We no longer have the luxury of wasting time or resources.
The past: the linear approach.
How did this happen? The blessed Industrial Revolution was based on the so-called “take-make-dispose” system (also known as “from cradle to grave”). A linear model focused on delivering products and services quickly and cheaply without considering long-term consequences: everything is designed to be discarded after use. For instance, consider the built-in obsolescence approach that was so common and, probably, still prevalent, within the durable consumer goods industry. It is easy to understand that this leads to overexploitation and inefficient allocation of natural resources (product prices hardly ever reflect the value of natural inputs), environmental pollution and destruction, and waste generation. Annually, 2.12 billion tons of waste are incinerated or sent to landfills. If all this waste were put on trucks, they would go around the world 24 times.
On average, 99% of the things we buy is trashed within 6 months (Theworldscounts, n.d.).
The future: the Circular Economy approach.
Is there a solution? Yes, but it requires a commitment from individuals, businesses and governments to redefine “wealth” and “progress” and reconsider nature’s role. We must move beyond the idea of infinite growth and of the conflictual nature of the relationship between Nature and industry.
Businesses and consumers should start to think and act according to a circular, “make-use-keep in the loop” system (also known as “from cradle to cradle”). In this model nothing is wasted, not even a cherry stone (ask your grandparents!). Materials should be kept in use for as long as possible, ideally forever. In a Circular Economy (CE), materials are kept at their highest value during use and re-enter the production process after use, never ending up as waste.
Reducing resource usage, using repurposed materials, exploring reuse and recycle options, remanufacturing from waste, even sharing and repairing … are key models to follow to go circular (do you remember the “Butterfly Diagram”?).
But hold on a moment! Something key is missing here.
A new perspective.
This transformation requires a radical shift in perspective -a new conscious, systemic approach, that recognizes the strong and dynamic interdependence between industry and Nature. Indeed, the CE model views the economy as functioning like a natural ecosystem - with some differences, of course.
Like in an ecosystem, nothing is ever wasted. Every waste becomes an input for something else.
What’s more important, to eliminate the concept of waste, we must design products, packaging and systems with the understanding that waste does not exist (Braungart & McDonough, 2002).
This eco-effective concept ensures that all products and materials are safely kept within either their biological or technical loops, as illustrated by the "Butterfly Diagram". And this is exactly what the MUD Jeans venture is about. They produce high-quality jeans designed to last long, be easily recycled, and reintroduced into production…
Thank you for reading to the end. Stay tuned for the next newsletters to learn more about MUD Jeans, eco-efficient products and how we can make impactful changes through sustainable practices.
Keywords: Earth Overshoot Day, linear model, circular economy, cradle-to-cradle, eco-effectiveness
Soundtrack: “Big Yellow Taxi" - Joni Mitchell