The Circular Economy: A Wealth of Flows

by Ken Webster, Ellen MacArthur (Editor)

A circular economy has profound consequences for production, employment, education, money and finance but also induces a shift in public policy and taxation. The economic advantage of this model lies in designing out waste, enabling access over ownership and favouring radical resource productivity, with the prospect of rebuilding capital and resilience. The Circular Economy: A Wealth of Flows gives a stimulating overview of this emerging framework.
Since the first edition of this volume in 2015, the global economy has remained relatively subdued and the reduction of strain on resources, especially in terms of waste and carbon emissions, is certainly not yet in sight. However during the same period, the digital revolution has only accelerated, bringing in its train a myriad of opportunities to rethink the connection between people, resources and products. More than ever, the circular economy gives the direction of travel, and appears as a model for economic prosperity.
This revised volume contains one entirely new chapter, expanding on the role of digital; on how we see the world; how the economy really works and how we can act within it. The other major revision is in rewriting the final chapter, as it becomes obvious, argues the author, that current social tensions and the rise of populism mean that the evolution of an attractive economic model is no longer just a desirable development, but a matter of some urgency.

Ken Webster is Head of Innovation at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a leading organisation on the circular economy. This publication gathers contributions from Walter Stahel from the Product-Life Institute, Geneva and Jocelyn Blériot, Executive Officer at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Genres: Economics, Sustainability, Nonfiction, Politics, Environment, Business

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2015

Reviews

[Suan Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of the circular economy concept and how it applies to key sectors and materials in the world (e.g. agriculture/food).

[Edward R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Energy, information, material, ICT, systems thinking. Renaissance thinking to move from linear to circular.

A cogent, humane, pragmatic analysis of where we are and how we can move forward. Draws from a wide list of thinkers from Buckminster Fuller to Avory Lovins and current game changers like Robin Chase and Elon Musk. Recommended.

[Sam Mullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great fly-over of the circular economy and serves as a digestible reference point for anyone working in the field or who has a general interest.

Ironically, I thought it lacked a bit of a flow at times which made it hard to follow. There was a lot of structure and subheadings, quotes and sections etc. but I don’t think it provided further clarity. Or maybe some of the language was just going over my head.

However, I think I would have got a lot more out of it if I read it as a hard copy and not on my e-reader. A lot of big diagrams, quotes and different structures that weren’t properly redone for an e-reader which made it hard to comprehend.

[David Cairns · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great content, but everything single thing else about this book was awful. The writing is full of spelling and grammatical errors, the graphic design is garish and distracting, none of the illustrations make any sense. If this were the capstone project for an MFA program I’d say “great job!” but I also wouldn’t want to actually read it.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done and I was excited to see new content. A small but strange aside, this could not have appeared crazier looking on my eReader. The fonts where different colors, sizes, it was bizarre.

Back to the content, thorough and far reaching. Not the over-cited, day-to-day examples of businesses doing things differently (e.g., Patagonia). This is more specific and technical.

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dense read - but full of ideas and examples of a circular economy at work.

[Lianne Bell]

I love the format of this book! It breaks the information down really well so that subject areas that might be a bit heavy are actually easy to digest.

[Hung · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Odeta Putkyte · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is clear in expressing the urgency to transition from linear to circular economy, but naturally, since not very many companies are practicing it, it is left as a nice premise. The author provides with examples on cultivating rice based on natural ecosystem and driverless cars, the book is full of information, but lacks a more reflective attitude on the significance of a circular economy. For example, speaking of the economic bubble in relation to linear economy, the author briefly prompts a possibility, even if an original one, of creating an economic bubble for assets in circular economy, but the idea is left underdeveloped. Therefore, it ends up unfocused, repeating in the end what was suggested in the beginning.

[Sebastian Pasteiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needs some serious editing

Could be written much more concisely and clearly. Tends to waffle at times. Very interesting subject though, and this provides a patient reader with a good overview.