(Im)possibilities of “circular” production: Learning from corporate case studies of (un)sustainability

Helen Kopnina,Rory Padfield

doi:10.1016/j.indic.2021.100161

Abstract

This article discusses Cradle to Cradle (C2C) and circular economy designs including three key principles of C2C production as well as the so-called 9-R hierarchy of priorities in circular economy production. This article examines student assignments that apply these circular and C2C principles to the detergent brand Method, the refillable drinking bottle Dopper, and the packaging of Burger King. Product improvements identified by students include expanding transparency of the “invisible” aspects of production, such as the types of materials and energy used for packaging and transport, or the potential for take-back and repair. In the student analysis, it appears that the supposedly circular or C2C products have their shortcomings, especially when it comes to the first R of the 9-R hierarchy – Refuse or avoid making or buying new products. The larger lesson from these case studies is that the buzzword circularity might not be delivering on its promise of absolute decoupling of resource consumption from economic activity. Students are recommended to engage with tools, concepts, and approaches, such as critical thinking and degrowth strategies to provide insight into sustainable transformations for society.

Highlights

Academic and policy experts increasingly recognize that environ mental problems, from climate change to biodiversity loss and pollution, are caused by social and economic factors, such as an increase in pop ulation, production, and consumption (Victor and Jackson 2015; Sulli van 2020)
Future research in education for the circular economy includes developing student ability to distinguish between ideal and realistic case studies, with a specific understanding of the necessity to address the first R of the 9R hierarchy in production and consumption
There is a need for studies that examine the flows of knowledge and influence between educational institutions and organizational practice within the context of the circular economy

Summary

Introduction

Academic and policy experts increasingly recognize that environ mental problems, from climate change to biodiversity loss and pollution, are caused by social and economic factors, such as an increase in pop ulation, production, and consumption (Victor and Jackson 2015; Sulli van 2020). The aim of a circular system is, ideally, not just to increase the level of material and energy recovery but to eliminate the consumption of scarce materials (de Man and Friege, 2016). This aim is facilitated by the product service shift (PSS), which requires the re-organization of busi ness through the transition from selling to leasing or pay-per-use schemes instead of ownership (Kopnina and Blewitt 2018; Sou sa-Zomer et al, 2018). Biomimicry designs, for example, imitate the complexity of natural forms, as well as their function and reciprocity with other natural elements (Stevens et al, 2020) This can be exem plified by bird nests. Eco-houses are made of natural materials and with plants growing on walls, attracting insects and birds to share living space with humans, while contributing to the resilience of the building to seasonal cycles and various weather conditions

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