It's the circular economy, stupid
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Transcript of It's the circular economy, stupid
It’s the circular economy, stupid
So why can’t we keep it simple?
10 tips to break the ice when it comes to public engagement
GA GO CIRCULAR PHOTO ESSAY
Don’t call it the circular economy
No-one really knows what the circular economy means. Even those
who talk about it the most admit the model is open to interpretation;
it means different things to different people. There is no universal
definition of the circular economy. Go figure.
Questions naturally attract attention.
They are great tools to make people
think differently. But no-one likes a
smart arse. Keep your question simple.
Do you want the CD,
or the music it plays?
What if we could make
waste disappear?
Could we have a better
relationship with our stuff?
Start by asking a question
This is a great question to ask if you want to get people
curious about the deeper, more invisible stuff. In terms
of lifecycle impact, a kettle needs to be filled more than
30 times with water to produce the tea leaves, milk and
sugar that goes into making a single cup of tea*. Should
we really be throwing tea bags away after a quick dunk?
How much water to make a cup of tea?
* Sources: The Water Footprint of Food by Professor Arjen Y Hoekstray, and John Kazer, The Carbon Trust
Most chatter around the circular economy is quite dry. But appetites
need wetting. Don’t talk about systems thinking, material optimisation
or industrial symbiosis. Frame the conversation around more relevant
and emotional themes. How can this new economy tap into peer
values, steer social impact and build communities?
Keep it human
Tell stories — they live on
Good stories are like family heirlooms. They are treasured,
remembered and passed on. Every product has a lifetime,
therefore every product has a story to tell. Who made it?
For what purpose? Did it follow a global supply chain? If so,
it’s probably travelled the world way more than you.
Where might it go next?
Rebel yell
The call for action. If we are serious about making this transition,
we will have to change how we consume. So be honest, tell people
how disruptive this is. Ask them if they are willing to own less. But
don’t just challenge. Present alternatives — better alternatives,
such as on-demand goods and services that can be customised to
suit individual lifestyles.
Show me the money
Yep, it remains a key motivator. People
want to know what it’s going to cost
them. Access over ownership may be
cheaper in the long run, but if it looks
more expensive on first sight, don’t
expect anyone to read the small print.
New ways of consuming will likely
require some upfront investment.
Passing these costs on will be easier to
swallow for someone if you can
demonstrate added value.
Perfect timingSome say the circular economy is ahead of it’s time. Others say it’s long overdue. Timing is hugely important — it can often make or break a start-up idea. Speak too early, and people won’t be ready for it. Speak too late and you’ll be seen as old news. So look out for weak signals — what trends are capturing the public mood? What’s going viral on social media? Trust your gut. You need to hit that sweet spot where technology and customer needs are about to meet.
Doing it for the kids
Children are a great sounding board for any conversation.
Can you explain what the circular economy means
to a five-year old? You might
get asked ‘Why?’ a lot — so be
prepared. Steve Jobs once said:
“Simple can be harder than complex. You
have to work hard to get your thinking clean
[but] once you get there, you can move
mountains.” Young minds can help in your
quest to make it simple.
Everyone likes a trier
Let’s face it, our relationship with waste isn’t great. Even if we
are learning to be more sexy about it. Expect a few knock-backs
when you first start out on this journey. Circular economy
messaging will likely need refining over time. But keep on.
Worst case — you’ll learn to fail better.
Go Circular is an online platform for circular economy dialogue. It looks to promote unique thinking
by bringing journalism, insight and research together into one place, making it a useful access point
for those who wish to learn more about this transitional concept.
Go Circular offers a range of editorial services to help organisations deliver compelling narratives
for their circular strategies — whether it’s through content marketing, PR, journalism, copywriting,
research, thought leadership or report authoring.
www.gocircular.com | [email protected]
GGO CIRCULAR
© Go Circular, 2015. This material is offered free of charge for personal and non-commercial use, provided the source is acknowledged.
For commercial use, prior written permission must be obtained. In no case may this material be altered, sold or rented.