Welcome to the Circular Economy: The Next Step in Sustainable Living

by Claire Potter

Both a practical guide and an introduction to the circular economy, this book taps into the rising desire for action and a collective response to the climate crisis. The circular economy is a series of systems that encompass many of the terms we already use in relation to sustainable living: reuse, recycle, refill. By describing the system in a clear and engaging way, the book builds on what the reader already knows and nudges them into other actions that will help the planet and change the way we do things.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sustainability, Environment

192 pages, Hardcover

Published September 9, 2021

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got through this book in three days, which is unusual for me. An accessible but extremely well researched and evidence-based guide to the circular economy. Packed with tips for becoming a more sustainable human. I loved it.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read.

While approachable and generally hopeful, this book is aware of the numerous pitfalls sustainability movements often fall into and offers tactics to avoid mindless behavior that people think is helpful, while actually just doing what's easiest for a corporation to market. I appreciate how concise the book is; it does not overcomplicate the subject matter, making it feel less complicated to actually implement the strategies it suggests. Similarly, the breakdown into memorable sections and encouragement to reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses makes the book more engaging and readable.

My only critiques are mild and adjustable with later additions. The online resources provided are excellent but may become outdated at some point, so a revision in the future would likely be helpful. Additionally, in keeping with the R's the book is structured around it may be nice to have a Rhetoric section, as I find it hard to convince others this is worth implementing in their lives, even if I am fully convinced myself.

[Natasha Hurley-Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fine introduction to the circular economy. Personally I was already very familiar with all of these concepts, so I found the style a bit simplistic and patronising. I also felt like there was a bit too much about fitting the circular economy into our current system of extractive capitalism. It seems to me if you follow these ideas to their logical conclusion, we cannot support the number of people we have on the planet without a dramatic reduction in our levels of consumption. And that's fine by me, but I didn't think that trying to get individuals to put time into lending each other their mowers was really the way to go about it, nor is ripping up the lawns and replacing them with vegetable gardens. The changes we need are even bigger than that. But I guess you have to start somewhere.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book to learn about the circular economy in an easy, down to earth and digestible way, especially for a topic that is pretty complex. Claire's writing is relaxed and relatable. An enjoyable and mind expanding read, I'm excited to learn more.

[Isaac Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably says a lot that you already know but a really good read

[Emma Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't finish but reference for ideas to reduce your waste in the world

[Gemma Evers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational

This book is informative and very inspirational. A must read for everyone, as if we all do a bit more, it's better than a few doing exceptionally well.

[Fernando Covantes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Libro recomendado para aprender sobre la economía circular. Muy ameno y esperanzador.

[Nicole McLellan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Compelling and provided plenty of options for taking concrete and impactful action. Although, a bit repetitive at times.

[Berta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing contemporary approach to sustainability! Whether you consider yourself a beginner or knowledgeable in the subject, the way this book is laid out for the reader makes it a must-read for everyone. My biggest issue with books that cover sustainability is that they are either too theoretical or too individualistic. I am incredibly surprised by the way that Dr. Potter interwines theory and practical advice. The book includes actions to be taken by the individual, while also highlighting the key role that corporations play in our endeavour to make our world thrive.