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Today we’re catching up with Dr. Katie Beverley. Katie is a Senior Research Officer at PDR International Centre for Design and Research, at Cardiff Metropolitan University. She works with academic partners and the public and private sector, to embed ecodesign, circular economy and sustainable thinking into products and services.
Back in Episode 5, Katie helped us understand more about ecodesign. She describes herself as a ‘critical friend’ of the circular economy, and that feels like a great starting point to explore what’s going well, and what isn’t.
Katie describes herself as a ‘critical friend’ of the circular economy, and that feels like a great starting point to explore what’s going well, and what isn’t.
First, Catherine Weetman sets the scene. What’s wrong with the current system, from the point of view of business and society? Where might organizations be missing out on value, and why? Are people downplaying the risks of carrying on with business as usual? Why do we need a different approach?
Podcast host Catherine Weetman is a circular economy business advisor, workshop facilitator, speaker and writer. Her award-winning book: A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business includes lots of practical examples and tips on getting started. Catherine founded Rethink Global in 2013, to help businesses use circular, sustainable approaches to build a better business (and a better world).
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Read on for a summary of the podcast and links to the people, organisations and other resources we mention.
Links we mention in the episode:
- A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business – buy from any good bookseller, or direct from the publisher Kogan Page, which ships worldwide (free shipping to UK and US) and you can use discount code CIRCL20 to get 20% off. It’s available in paperback, ebook and Kindle. If you buy it from online sources, make sure you choose the new edition with an orange cover!
- Sign up to get the podcast player and shownotes for each new episode emailed to your inbox
- Katie Beverley on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-beverley-a53576a6/
- Katie Beverley in Episode 5: Ecodesign expert Katie Beverley of PDR International Centre for Design and Research tells us how user-centred design and systems thinking helps to design better circular economy and sustainable solutions. https://www.rethinkglobal.info/episode-5-katie-beverley-ecodesign/
- PDR International Centre for Design and Research https://www.pdr-design.com/
Books and people mentioned
- The Purpose Upgrade: Change The World To Save Your Business, by Paul Skinner https://www.purposeupgrade.com/
- Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation, by Paul Hawken https://paulhawken.com/
Guest bio
Katie Beverley is a Senior Research Officer in Ecodesign at PDR, the International Centre for Design Research in Cardiff, Wales. Katie undertakes research, knowledge transfer activities and commercial projects which require the application of design to minimise environmental impact, increase resource efficiency and exploit circular economy opportunities.
Katie holds a PhD in chemistry, which proves useful in facilitating discussions between designers, scientists and technologist, and for understanding opportunities for new materials in the circular economy.
She has worked with policymakers, educators and businesses (including furniture, automotive, energy storage, electronics, sports equipment, fashion and textiles) both in Wales and internationally.
Podcast music
Thanks to Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow, otherwise known as the brilliant, inventive and generous folk duo, O’Hooley & Tidow for allowing me to use the instrumentals from the live version of Summat’s Brewin’ as music for the podcast. You can find the whole track (inspired by the Copper Family song “Oh Good Ale”) on their album, also called Summat’s Brewin’. Or, follow them on Twitter.
