Circular Economy

In a circular economy, resources are kept moving within a system in perpetuity and extracted natural resources are regenerated.

There’s no such thing as waste

Waste is the failure of system participants to utilise resources. Reframe your thinking of waste to an ASSET.

10 R’s

Professor Jacqueline Cramer developed the following prioritisation of circularisation strategies.

Cramer, J., The Raw Materials Transition in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area:
Added Value for the Economy, Well-Being and the Environment, Environment, 2017, 59, 3, 14-21, https://doi.org/10.1080/00139157.2017.1301167

Humans are demanding more than the Earth can regenerate

Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year), by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand for that year), and multiplying by 365 (the number of days in a year). Country Overshoot Days are the days Earth Overshoot Day would be if the world’s population lived like people from each country. In 2023, Earth Overshoot Day was on the 2nd of August. If the world’s population lived like Australians, Overshoot Day would fall on the 5th of April.

Doughnut Economics

“Humanity’s 21st century challenge is clear: to meet the needs of all people within the means of this extraordinary, unique, living planet. So that we, and the rest of nature, can thrive,” Kate Raworth, the economist behind the theory, explains during a 2018 TED Talk.

(Watch the fascinating talk below or skip to 6.40 for a breakdown of doughnut economics.)

Country Centred Circular Economy

The Indigenous Doughnut is a Country Centred Circular Economy (CC-CE) model. The indigenous doughnut draws on millennia of learnings of managing, living and thriving on Country.

“It has been created to enable a better understanding that our relationship with Country over generations gives us knowledge and authority to give guidance about incorporating the connection and care of Country principles into circular and regenerative economy practice.” Paul Paton July 2023

The Indigenous Doughnut is a CC-CE model that can be:

Adapted, translated and utilised by local Traditional Owners, to suit their Country, Culture, Language, Community and Economic priorities.
Utilised by all Australian Businesses, Government Agencies and Partners to ‘Walk together’.

The Country Centred Circular Economy ‘S’ Strategies.

C01. Stewardship – An obligation to care for Country. Not to be cruel. Moderate use of resources.
C02. Seasons – Understand Seasonal indicators and considerations.
C03. Species – Know local Species and ecosystem relationships. Local species as Participants.
C04. Source – Identify indigenous sustainable Sources. E.g. Original water tables.
C05. Sharing – Sharing and Reciprocity. E.g. Share abundant seasonal crops with neighbours.
C06. Social Impact – Actions that contribute to societal well-being.
C07. Supply chains – Sustainable, regenerative, fair and transparent supply chains.
C08. Systems – Systems not Silos. Develop collaborative business systems.
C09. Scale – How does it operate on Country at different scales? Macro, Meso and Micro.
C10. Sense and Respond – Feedback Loops. Capture and respond to real needs.
C11. Synergy and Time – Take a broader and longer view of time. Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow.
C12. Songlines and Stories – Respect Cultural Knowledge and Lore. Seek publicly available information.

Indigenous Māori View of Doughnut Economics

Teina Boasa-Dean and Juhi Shareef reimagined Kate Raworth’s doughnut (pakeha perspective) from a Tūhoe Māori perspective. The ecological foundation at the centre is Ranginui (the sky, the father of all things) and Papatūānuku (the earth, the mother of all things). Together they enable humanity to thrive (social elements on the outer ring).

Technical and Biological Cycles

The Ellen Macarthur Foundation describes the circular economy using a graphic known as the “butterfly diagram”. It illustrates the continuous flow of materials in a circular economy using technical and biological cycles. In the technical cycle, products and materials are circulated through reusing, repairing, remanufacturing and recycling. In the biological cycle, the nutrients from biodegradable materials are returned to the Earth to regenerate nature.