Welcome to the sixth and final module of the Circular Economy Capacity Building Program!
This week is an opportunity to recap what we’ve covered over the course of the previous five modules, to offer some concluding remarks and refer you to further resources to continue the circular design journey in your business or organisation.
Recap
Module 1: What is the circular economy?
At its core, the circular economy is an alternative to our current economy, for meeting human needs and fairly distributing resources while restoring nature’s functions and regenerating the natural capital on which we depend. Unlike the linear economy, where products are created, used, and then discarded, the circular economy seeks to eliminate waste, keep products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible at their highest value, and regenerate natural & social systems.
Module 2: How should materials be circulated in a circular economy?
In Module 2, we explored the concept of the Butterfly Diagram, a key tool for circular materials management. The Butterfly Diagram explains how there are two types of materials in our economy, and each has a separate hierarchy of strategies (these are sometimes referred to as an “R-ladder” – a term you may have heard before!) to ensure their circulation at their highest value. It’s so important to aim higher on the hierarchy than recycling, to capture more value (environmental, social, and economic) from the materials we use.
Module 3: How can circularity be designed from the outset?
In Module 3, we explored how circular design can be applied to businesses and operations. This module highlights four key circular design principles:
- Use Less: Reduce material usage by questioning necessity and opting for efficient alternatives.
- Choose Better Materials: Prioritise renewable, recovered, low-impact, and non-toxic materials.
- Design for the Future: Create products and systems that are durable, repairable, and adaptable to changing conditions.
- Design for Systemic Value: Ensure designs deliver ecological and social benefits alongside functionality.
Real-world horticulture examples, such as sustainable packaging and resilient garden strategies, showcase these principles in action. By adopting circular design, businesses can enhance efficiency, sustainability, and long-term value creation.
Module 4: How can businesses derive commercial value and competitive advantage from circular practices?
This module focused on circular business models and regulatory changes shaping the horticulture sector. We explored innovative examples, such as “product-as-a-service”, and learned how to adopt models like circular supplies, resource recovery, and product life extension. It also delves into national and private sector initiatives, such as biodiversity markets and climate resilience strategies, highlighting opportunities for nurseries to align with sustainability goals while enhancing market competitiveness.
Module 5: How can businesses better highlight the value delivered through circular practices?
In our second-to-last module, we learned how to use metrics and communication strategies to showcase the systemic benefits of circular practices. Capturing the full value of circular solutions requires measuring impacts across environmental, social, and economic systems and effectively communicating those benefits to stakeholders.
Key Learnings
Worn Gundidj and the horticultural sector as a whole has long been aligned with the principles of the circular economy, working to eliminate waste and circulate products in our operations, and caring deeply for Nature and Community.
“Retail and Wholesale Nurseries, Landcare Groups, Community Gardens and other horticulture businesses are naturally inclined towards a circular economy. Although the norm inherited from the wider economy is to run these businesses in a linear fashion, there are some clear and simple ways we can design business better for a circular future where waste is reimagined and care for country is embedded deeply in commercial practices.”
Tom Allen – Project Coordinator, Worn Gundidj
However, transition to a circular model cannot be achieved with one sector in isolation. The Circular Economy is not the Linear economy “with wings” – it requires rethinking our entire operating system, requiring collaboration for change across sectors and supply chains.
“Each person and organisation has a role to play in ensuring we tackle the climate catastrophe and the circular economy approach encompasses many of these must-do steps to make this happen.”
Courtney Mathew – Wannon Water; Fruit Rescue; Warrnambool Community Garden
Through intentional direction of resources for ecological, social, and economic value, the circular economy can provide a framework for sustainability and equality long into the future
“These initiatives are critical for community resilience and thinking about how we can combat systems inequity.”
Courtney Mathew – Wannon Water; Fruit Rescue; Warrnambool Community Garden
“I’m excited about the possibilities that could come from the work they are doing in terms of regional partnerships as well as feasible, sustainable value that can create greater societal and environmental outcomes for the whole region.”
Rebecca Todd – Deakin University
Practical initiatives emerging from the program
As we engage with these lessons, we can expand upon existing practices and introduce new initiatives that align with circular economy principles in collaboration with diverse actors in the region. A few key initiatives that Worn Gundidj and its partners are exploring from here include:
- Plastic pot reuse: Returning and washing pots for reuse instead of recycling.
- Community composting: Building on an existing Christmas tree mulching program at Warrnambool Community Garden to capture other overlooked streams of organic “waste”.
- Community wattle seed harvesting: Utilising local food sources and supporting bush foods social enterprise.
- Seed sharing programs: Implementing seed libraries to promote biodiversity and reduce reliance on commercial seed sources.
- Tool sharing: Creating a tool-sharing program within the community to encourage resource sharing and reduce costs.
- Tool maintenance workshops: Supporting community members to maintain garden tools and equipment for longer lifespans and reduced consumption.
- Expanding the network of circular actors in the region through additional roundtables & workshops, resources sharing, and project collaboration, including supporting the campaign for a Regional Circular Economy Hub.
Going further
If you would like to continue on a deep dive into the world of Circular Economy and the design principles that underpin it, here are a few key themes you might like to consider applying to your context. And we’ve thrown in some linked resources to keep the cogs whirring!
1. Adopting a systems mindset
Our world is composed of three key interwoven systems—natural, social, and economic. Traditionally, these systems have been viewed as separate, with the economic system taking precedence due to humanity valuing it over other systems. The first step in transitioning to a circular model is shifting our mindsets to incorporate all three systems, and acknowledge and address the interconnections and interdependencies within systems.
- The 6 Fundamental Concepts of Systems Thinking, Leyla Acaroglu: Key insights and tools needed to develop and advance a systems mindset for dealing with complex problem solving and transitioning to the Circular Economy, from an expert in the field.
- Tools for Systems Thinkers: Systems Mapping, Leyla Acaroglu: In order to build a new multidimensional thinking framework, we need to discover the dynamics and interconnectedness of the systems at play. This is where systems mapping tools come in — they provide an exploration of the system, communicate understanding, and allow for the identification of knowledge gaps, intervention points, and insights.
- The Systems Thinker – Systems Thinking: What, Why, When, Where, and How?, Michael Goodman: Systems thinking tips for beginners.
2. Tools for circular adoption in organisations
Once we’ve gotten our heads around how to think in systems, there are a suite of tools organisations can leverage to support their adoption of circular practices, covered in Modules 2, 3, & 4.
- 5 circular economy business models for competitive advantage
- This article from the World Economic Forum explains the circular business models in detail, & emphasizes the urgency for businesses to adopt circular economy models to remain competitive in the face of accelerating climate concerns and increasing societal and regulatory pressure.
- Butterfly diagram video
- From the Ellen MacArthur Foundation
- NSW Circular Design Principles for the Built Environment
- The NSW Government’s guide with whole-of-life principles for transitioning buildings, precincts and infrastructure to a circular economy
3. Measuring the value of circularity
It’s also important to take into consideration the different ways of measuring the different forms of value (environmental, social, economic) that can be generated through the adoption of circularity, as we tackled in module 5:
- Environmental Profit & Loss Accounting: Philips Methodology for calculating the Environmental Profit & Loss Account
- Living Income Model: living income model – Tony’s Chocolonely
- True Cost Accounting
4. How to Stay Connected
Finally, it’s important to stay connected through this journey- one of the most critical things we learned in this program is that the circular economy cannot be achieved in isolation. It requires collaboration and insights sharing across different parts of the economy, and as such it’s important that we stay connected. To do this, Worn Gundidj are organising ongoing meetings to further discuss opportunities and catalyse collaborative circular projects in the local economy. Fill out our Circular Economy EOI form below to register your interest in future circular economy initiatives, or get in touch via [email protected]