Circular Economy Lesson 1: Challenging Common Conceptions

This lesson is part of a 5-part series introducing the circular economy and systems thinking. Education about improving the environment often comes to familiar conclusions such as ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ but what if those conclusions have detrimental effects in other areas, such as employment, standards of living, and the economy? In other words, what if these conclusions fail to see the bigger picture?

In this activity, a series of videos is used as a stimulus for classroom discussion about how environmental goals could be aligned with economic goals. There are nine videos and each is no longer than 1 minute. The videos each end with a challenge for the viewer. We suggest you watch them in advance and read the notes below so you are prepared for the discussion.

Subjects: Economics, Geography, Environmental Systems, Sociology, Business,
Citizenship

Age range: 12-19

Total time: 60 minutes

Learning outcomes:
• To understand that environmental issues can be intrinsically linked to economic issues
• To critique the flaws inherent in some common approaches to environmental education
• To begin to investigate a different way of approaching environmental, social, and economic issues

About the Circular Economy

The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again.

The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy:

1 - Eliminate waste and pollution
2 - Keep products and materials in use
3 - Regenerate natural systems

Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity.

About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.