The Circular Economy Podcast…

…interviews with inspiring people who are making the circular economy happen.

We explore how the circular economy makes a better business (and a better world): for you, your partners, and your customers.

You can find the podcast series on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn or search for “circular economy” in your favourite podcast app. For links and show notes, go to the Episode pages below.

Catherine Weetman interviews the people making the circular economy happen: rethinking how we design, make and use everything.

We talk to entrepreneurs & business owners, social enterprises, and leading thinkers.

We find out how they got involved, and invite them to share their ‘lessons learned’ and top tips for you. How are they using circular approaches to create value, increase resilience and reduce risk, to make a competitive, sustainable organisation?

Want to know more about the what the circular economy is, and how it can help your business? Listen to Episode 1, or read our article: What is the circular economy? In Episode 2, we dig into the ‘linear economy’ – what are the risks and global mega-trends driving the need to rethink how we design, make and use everything? What does this mean for your business?

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Episode 8 Elaine Kerr – industrial symbiosis

Catherine Weetman 11th August 2019

Elaine Kerr, Deputy Director of International Synergies Northern Ireland talks about industrial symbiosis and how it ‘oils the wheels’ of the circular economy. Elaine explains what industrial symbiosis is, and how International Synergies provides research and facilitation for ‘resource matching’, helping organisations of all types and sizes. We discuss the multiple benefits of industrial symbiosis: reducing waste and pollution (and associated costs); creating valuable new by-products, jobs, and social value; together with securing access to future resources by setting up local ‘ecosystems’ for materials. Creating new, local feedstocks from redundant resources can also bring widespread benefits for the local economy,…

Episode 7 Katie Whalen – fun and games with the circular economy

Catherine Weetman 28th July 2019

Katie Whalen of In the Loop AB has developed two circular economy games, including the well-known In the Loop game for schools and businesses and the new Risk and Race circular business model game. Katie is currently researching business aspects of the circular economy at Lund University. We talk about how to engage people to help them understand the benefits and impacts of circular approaches, and Katie tells us about some of her favourite circular economy businesses.

Episode 6 Adam Fairweather – reimagine waste

Catherine Weetman 14th July 2019

Adam Fairweather and his partner Rosalie McMillan run Smile Plastics, a circular economy business that reimagines local waste streams to make beautiful materials for the built environment. We talk about Adam’s approach to design, and his ethos that ‘material language’ can communicate messages to people through design, creating socially, emotionally and industrially durable products. We explore some of the wide range of projects Adam has been involved in over the last couple of decades. Adam tells us about his plans for decentralised manufacturing, forming an industrial ecosystem to reimagine waste.

Episode 5 Katie Beverley – Ecodesign

Catherine Weetman 30th June 2019

Ecodesign expert Katie Beverley describes herself as a ‘critical friend’ of the circular economy. We dig into Ecodesign principles to find out more, and explore how Ecodesign could add value to circular solutions. Katie explains the benefits of user-centred and systems-thinking approaches. We discuss the business ‘ecosystem’, remanufacturing and the circular economy’s potential for local job creation and social benefits, and Ecodesign expert Katie Beverley describes herself as a ‘critical friend’ of the circular economy. We dig into Ecodesign principles to find out more, and explore how Ecodesign could help overcome the ‘teething problems’ of circular solutions. Katie explains the…

Episode 4 Jo Godden – recycled ocean plastics

Catherine Weetman 16th June 2019

In Episode 4, Jo Godden talks to Catherine Weetman about some of the circular economy elements at the heart of her non-for-profit activewear brand, RubyMoon. Jo was a pioneer of using recycled ocean plastics, and her profits fund other entrepreneurs - putting the 'economy' into the circular economy! We chat about valuing your clothing, making sustainability cool, and how the circular economy is the future of fashion. Find out more on www.circulareconomypodcast.com

Episode 3 Tom Harper – circular asset management

Catherine Weetman 1st June 2019

Tom Harper talks to Catherine Weetman about some of the circular economy projects he has introduced to Unusual Rigging Limited, including circular asset management. Fuelled by a drive to ‘be the change’, Tom has designed and implemented initiatives including asset management, reuse and refurbishment, new services, and new approaches to product design. These circular initiatives have brought wide-ranging benefits to the company, improving customer engagement, reducing costs and boosting its competitive edge. Unusual Rigging provides rigging and stage engineering solutions to the entertainment, exhibition and special event sectors across Europe.

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’. You can follow them on Twitter too.