June 5th-7th: Circularity 23, sponsored by GreenBiz Group, took the stage in Seattle, igniting conversations around what steps are needed to address some of humanity’s most critical challenges. This anticipated event drew more than 1,400 global participants from around the world, including industry leaders, innovators, policymakers, artists, engineers, NGOs, consultants, and thought leaders — united by the shared vision of shaping a more circular future for the next generation.
Against the backdrop of the Emerald City, Circularity 23 served as a powerful platform for exchanging ideas, networking, and collaboration. Attendees had the opportunity to delve into a wide range of topics, from circular design, bio-based materials, waste management, and resource optimization.
This jam-packed event featured thought-provoking panel discussions, engaging workshops, and interactive sessions. It provided valuable insights and practical solutions for implementing circular strategies across industries, communities, and regions. Participants were encouraged to explore corporate strategies that are beginning to address the vast environmental inequities that mass consumption has generated over the last 100 years of industrialization. Strategies that are part of a multiverse of innovative approaches that strive to forge partnerships to accelerate the transition to a global circular economy.
Industry leaders from around the world, including Seattle giants Starbucks, Amazon, Microsoft, and REI, alongside global corporations like Google, Dell, HP, Walmart, Albertsons, Coca-Cola, Mars, Nestlé, L’Oréal, Dow Inc., The North Face, Ralph Lauren, and Eileen Fisher, shared their sustainability goals, successes, and challenges in meeting their zero-waste and decarbonization strategies. (See schedule here)
Opening Day — Governor Jay Inslee, the longest-running governor in the country and who is not seeking re-election, arrived tan and looking relaxed. He delivered his welcoming remarks with humor and conviction, promoting the work being done by the attendees at Circularity 23 as some of the most important work being done anywhere in the world.
“This is a meeting to determine how we can save humans and civilization for the next several centuries,” he said, embracing the importance of designing a circular economy from the wreckage of the last 100 years of industrialization. “There is no more consequential time in our history on Earth than the kind of work that we’re doing together.” Emphasizing:
“This is circular everything — not just the circular economy, if you will, and we need to think of the economy as a tool to preserve the health of our state more than an end in itself.”
The event showcased local success stories, demonstrating the City of Seattle’s commitment to transforming traditional linear take-make-waste models, which have stretched waste management to its limits, to embracing more circular practices aimed at reducing waste sent to landfills and environmental pollution. With a spotlight on the local consultancies specializing in urban planning, environmental sustainability, and sustainable city solutions, they have collaborated closely with city leaders to develop comprehensive strategies and action plans.
Reuse Seattle Takes the Lead in Eliminating Single-Use Plastics from the City’s Take-Out Industry
The City of Seattle has been at the forefront of embracing the concept of a “circular economy,” making it a pioneer in the zero-waste movement. Building on its success in implementing residential and commercial recycling programs, as well as convenient curbside composting spearheaded by regional leader Cedar Grove, which diverts over 350,000 tons of yard and food waste annually, Seattle has demonstrated its leadership in municipal waste reduction. Now, the City of Seattle is pushing the boundaries of waste reduction even further:
“A cultural rejection of single use plastics is coming…”
In a bold new initiative led by Seattle Public Utilities and the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development, Reuse Seattle is taking aim at eliminating single-use plastics from the city’s multi-layered takeout culture. With a laser focus on reusable food and beverage containers, its aim is to help service providers overcome the logistical challenges to scale up solutions that will revolutionize Seattle’s on-the-go food and entertainment industries.
Though Reuse Seattle is a relatively new initiative, it has made remarkable strides in its efforts to combat single-use waste. With its implementation of reusable food service items at over 20 locations, the initiative has successfully prevented the use of more than 350,000 single-use cups, contributing to a significant reduction in waste-to-landfill.
Reuse Seattle is a great example of how government and businesses can work together to address environmental problems. The hope is that other cities and communities in Washington State will follow Seattle’s lead and implement similar initiatives.
If you’re a local business interested in joining the Reuse Revolution in Seattle, we invite you to visit their website at https://reuseseattle.org and get connected. Explore the possibilities and discover how you can contribute to creating a more environmentally friendly, zero-waste, circular city by embracing the opportunity to make a positive impact on Seattle’s sustainability journey.
Place-Based Solutions: Co-Developing Equitable, Circular Economies with NextCycle Washington
Throughout the country, waste-reduction and waste-reuse accelerators are forging partnerships with communities, the public and private sectors, to stimulate innovation across all phases of waste management, including waste prevention, material reuse, recycling/composting collection and processing, and developing material end markets.
Building on the previous successes of its NextCycle Colorado and NextCycle Michigan programs, RRS (Resource Recycling Systems) has played a key role in launching its newest initiative, NextCycle Washington. This collaborative initiative involves partnerships between King County, WA; Seattle Public Utilities; the Washington State Department of Commerce; and the Washington Recycling Development Center. The primary objective of NextCycle Washington is to assist communities throughout the state through a grant program for circular economy solutions that can effectively reduce waste-to-landfill impact.
“King County has made a commitment and is actively supporting businesses that focus on expanding waste prevention and material reuse, repair, or recycling,” said Andy Smith, Recycling and Environmental Services Manager at King County Solid Waste Division. “The NextCycle Washington program has helped to identify businesses, that with mentorship and funding, will have a positive impact on Washington’s circular economy.”
To date a total of over $400,000 in Renew Seed Grants have been awarded to 41 selected projects. These projects cover a wide array of areas, ranging from pilot programs that introduce reusable containers to community organizations, establishing community repair hubs, cloud based rental and sharing platforms, community centric tool libraries, as well as businesses working on developing innovative ways in which to use, repurpose, and process recycled plastics, textiles, and glass.
If you’re interested in participating in the upcoming cohort of NextCycle Washington’s circular economy program, you can find more information and sign up on their website at: https://www.nextcyclewashington.com.
Shining a Light on Frontline Communities
Marginalized communities on the frontlines of the Industrial Age endure an unjustly disproportionate burden of pollution stemming from industrialization. Systemic inequalities surrounding affordable housing and healthy communities have led to the placement of industrial facilities, hazardous waste sites, and global waste streams in close proximity to these vulnerable populations. Sadly, due to economic and educational constraints, these communities lack the resources and means to effectively address the environmental challenges and pollution caused by industrial activities.
In various regions from around the world, community members are raising their voices to shed light on the challenges their communities face due to the impacts of industrialization. At the forefront of this activism, inspiring figures such as sisters Jo Banner, M.A., and Joy Banner, Ph.D., co-founders of the Descendants Project, representing Louisiana’s Cancer Alley; Paulina López, the Executive Director at DUWAMISH RIVER CLEANUPCOALITION-TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, advocating for the cleanup of Seattle’s only working river in the industrial heart of Seattle’s most polluted zip code 98108; and Sandra Gonza bringing attention to the struggles faced by Western African countries due to the environmental impact of fast fashion and the second-hand textile trade. These dedicated activists are united by a shared mission: to fight for the health and safety of their communities and future generations. If we want to build a better world, it’s time we all join in.
Industrial pollution has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond any one community — it impacts all communities. It is imperative that we acknowledge the urgency of this critical moment in time, where there is a possibility to stabilize our rapidly evolving economic system, which is worsening the climate and extinction crises. We must strive to create an economic system that is more conducive to sustaining life on Earth. However, we must also recognize that our opportunity for change is limited, and we must diligently work towards transforming our current economic system into one that prioritizes the well-being of our planet and future generations. To meet these challenges, we must embrace transformative change on an industrial scale.
CITIES ON THE FRONTLINE OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Sea level rise is one of the greatest existential threats facing port cities like Seattle. Economically, the Port of Seattle is a gateway for the transport and warehousing of many commodities that make up our current take-make-waste global economy. The port’s import volume has steadily grown in recent years and is projected to continue increasing in the future. The port’s import volume drives the region’s economic activity, as imports support a wide range of businesses and industries in the region, including manufacturing, retail, and construction.
Because of these facts, projected sea level rise poses a serious threat to the port’s operations and the region’s economy. As sea levels rise, the port will be increasingly vulnerable to flooding and other coastal hazards. This will disrupt shipping operations, damage port infrastructure, and cause irreversible environmental impact.
MOVING FORWARD
The third rule of the Circular Economy highlights the importance of economic transformation for the regeneration of Earth’s ecosystems. This rule presents the greatest challenge among the three, as it entails undertaking comprehensive remediation and restoration projects on a global scale.
Supporting the creation of local and regional circular economies offers the City of Seattle an opportunity to alleviate its dependency on the port as the backbone of its economic activity. In preparation for future climate scenarios it offers us an opportunity to remediate the toxic soil of Seattle’s industrial landscapes including the Duwmaish River estuary. We can do this by supporting:
- Localized Production and Consumption: The circular economy promotes a shift towards localized production and consumption, reducing the reliance on global supply chains. By encouraging regional sourcing and production, communities can reduce the need for long-distance transportation and associated port activities. This approach can help create more self-sustaining local economies and reduce the pressure on ports.
- Resource Efficiency and Closed-Loop Systems: can minimize waste generation and the need for extensive transportation of materials. Implementing strategies such as recycling, upcycling, and product life extension can reduce the demand for new resources and the transportation required for their extraction and delivery.
- Circular Business Models: on-demand manufacturing, product-as-a-service, sharing economy platforms, and remanufacturing, can reduce the need for frequent shipments of new products. These models focus on maximizing the value derived from existing resources and products, reducing the overall demand for transportation and warehousing services.
- Digital Transformation and Virtualization: Leveraging digital technologies can enable virtual collaboration, remote work, and digital platforms that minimize the need for physical transportation and storage. By embracing digital transformation, businesses can reduce their dependence on physical infrastructure, including ports, while maintaining efficient operations.
- Ecological Restoration and Rewilding: The circular economy also provides us with the ability for ecological restoration and rewilding. By regenerating natural ecosystems and implementing sustainable land management practices, areas impacted by industrial activities can be transformed into vibrant, biodiverse habitats. These initiatives can coexist with economic activities, providing ecological benefits while reducing dependency on traditional port operations.
Transitioning to a circular economy to reduce our dependency on ports will require systemic changes, collaboration among multiple stakeholders, and long-term planning. By adopting circular principles, we can work towards rewilding and restoring areas impacted by industrial activities while promoting more sustainable and resilient local economies better equipped for our warming world.
MAIN TAKEAWAYS
- 1939: Plastic was introduced to the world economy via the New York World Fair / Expo 1939
- 2023: Plastic pollution is impacting every ecosystem on Earth.
- Under our current economic system, plastic is going nowhere, fast
- Plastic production is expected to triple by 2040.
- Industrial pollution knows no boundaries.
- The road to hell is paved with good intentions
- Our global economy is currently recycling 9% of single use plastics.
- Stop giving fossil fuels a lifeline.
- To transition our current take-make-waste global economy into a more sustainable, zero-waste, circular economy will take leveraging a balancing act between idyllic vision and pragmatic realism.
- If we don’t work together now, we will fail together.
- We will never get enough of what we don’t need.
