Economics Circular Economy Study Cards

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Circular Economy

An economic system that aims to minimize waste and maximize the use of resources by designing products, services, and systems that promote reuse, recycling, and regeneration.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The three key principles of circular economy, emphasizing the importance of reducing consumption, reusing products, and recycling materials to minimize waste and resource depletion.

Closed-Loop System

A system in which resources are continuously reused, recycled, or regenerated, creating a circular flow of materials and minimizing the need for extraction of new resources.

Product Life Extension

The practice of extending the lifespan of products through repair, refurbishment, and maintenance, reducing the need for new production and minimizing waste.

Remanufacturing

The process of restoring used products to their original condition, often with improved performance, to be sold again, reducing the demand for new products and minimizing waste.

Resource Recovery

The process of extracting valuable resources from waste materials through recycling, composting, or other methods, reducing the need for virgin resources and minimizing waste.

Industrial Symbiosis

A collaborative approach where different industries exchange by-products, waste materials, and energy to create mutual benefits, reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency.

Cradle to Cradle

A design concept that aims to create products that can be fully recycled or biodegraded at the end of their life cycle, eliminating the concept of waste and promoting circularity.

Circular Supply Chains

Supply chains that prioritize circular economy principles, focusing on reducing waste, promoting reuse and recycling, and ensuring the efficient use of resources throughout the entire value chain.

Circular Business Models

Business models that integrate circular economy principles, such as product-as-a-service, sharing economy, and leasing, to maximize resource efficiency and minimize waste.

Eco-design

The practice of designing products, services, and systems with environmental considerations in mind, aiming to minimize their environmental impact throughout their life cycle.

Green Procurement

The process of selecting suppliers and products based on their environmental performance, considering factors such as resource efficiency, recyclability, and sustainability.

Waste Hierarchy

A ranking of waste management options in order of their environmental impact, with prevention being the most desirable, followed by minimization, reuse, recycling, energy recovery, and disposal as the least desirable.

Extended Producer Responsibility

A policy approach that holds manufacturers responsible for the entire life cycle of their products, including their disposal, encouraging them to design for durability, recyclability, and resource efficiency.

Circular Economy Indicators

Metrics and measurements used to assess the progress and impact of circular economy initiatives, such as resource productivity, material circularity, and waste generation.

Circular Economy Transition

The process of shifting from a linear economy to a circular economy, involving changes in production, consumption, waste management, and policy frameworks.

Circular Economy and Climate Change

The relationship between circular economy and climate change, with circular practices reducing greenhouse gas emissions, resource extraction, and energy consumption.

Circular Economy and Social Equity

The consideration of social aspects, such as job creation, fair distribution of resources, and community engagement, in the implementation of circular economy strategies.

Circular Economy and Innovation

The role of innovation in driving circular economy solutions, such as new technologies, business models, and design approaches that enable resource efficiency and waste reduction.

Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals

The alignment of circular economy principles with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goals related to responsible consumption and production, climate action, and sustainable cities and communities.

Circular Economy and Economic Growth

The potential of circular economy to drive economic growth through job creation, innovation, and resource efficiency, while reducing environmental impacts and promoting sustainability.

Circular Economy and Waste Management

The role of circular economy in transforming waste management systems, shifting from linear disposal-oriented approaches to circular resource recovery and recycling.

Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency

The focus on optimizing resource use and minimizing waste in a circular economy, aiming to decouple economic growth from resource consumption and environmental degradation.

Circular Economy and Energy Transition

The integration of circular economy principles in the transition to a renewable energy system, promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and circular energy systems.

Circular Economy and Water Management

The consideration of circular economy principles in water management, aiming to reduce water consumption, promote water reuse and recycling, and minimize water pollution.

Circular Economy and Food Systems

The application of circular economy principles in the food system, focusing on reducing food waste, promoting sustainable agriculture, and closing nutrient loops.

Circular Economy and Fashion Industry

The transformation of the fashion industry towards circularity, through initiatives such as sustainable materials, recycling programs, and circular business models.

Circular Economy and Electronics

The shift towards circularity in the electronics industry, promoting product repair, recycling of electronic waste, and design for longevity and recyclability.

Circular Economy and Construction

The adoption of circular economy principles in the construction sector, focusing on resource-efficient building materials, modular construction, and construction waste recycling.

Circular Economy and Mobility

The integration of circular economy principles in the mobility sector, promoting sustainable transportation, electric vehicles, and resource-efficient mobility solutions.

Circular Economy and Plastics

The management of plastic waste through circular economy approaches, such as recycling, reuse, and design for recyclability, to reduce plastic pollution and resource depletion.

Circular Economy and Packaging

The redesign of packaging systems to minimize waste, promote reuse and recycling, and ensure the efficient use of resources throughout the packaging life cycle.

Circular Economy and Tourism

The application of circular economy principles in the tourism industry, focusing on sustainable tourism practices, waste reduction, and resource-efficient hospitality.

Circular Economy and Cities

The role of circular economy in creating sustainable and resilient cities, through initiatives such as urban metabolism, circular urban planning, and resource-efficient infrastructure.

Circular Economy and Developing Countries

The potential of circular economy to address development challenges in low-income countries, promoting sustainable resource use, job creation, and poverty reduction.

Circular Economy and Circular Cities

The concept of circular cities, where circular economy principles are applied at the urban level, aiming to create regenerative and resource-efficient urban systems.

Circular Economy and Circular Agriculture

The application of circular economy principles in agriculture, focusing on sustainable farming practices, organic waste recycling, and nutrient cycling.

Circular Economy and Circular Packaging

The redesign of packaging systems to promote circularity, through initiatives such as reusable packaging, compostable materials, and closed-loop recycling.

Circular Economy and Circular Fashion

The transformation of the fashion industry towards circularity, through initiatives such as sustainable materials, recycling programs, and circular business models.

Circular Economy and Circular Electronics

The shift towards circularity in the electronics industry, promoting product repair, recycling of electronic waste, and design for longevity and recyclability.

Circular Economy and Circular Construction

The adoption of circular economy principles in the construction sector, focusing on resource-efficient building materials, modular construction, and construction waste recycling.

Circular Economy and Circular Mobility

The integration of circular economy principles in the mobility sector, promoting sustainable transportation, electric vehicles, and resource-efficient mobility solutions.

Circular Economy and Circular Plastics

The management of plastic waste through circular economy approaches, such as recycling, reuse, and design for recyclability, to reduce plastic pollution and resource depletion.

Circular Economy and Circular Tourism

The application of circular economy principles in the tourism industry, focusing on sustainable tourism practices, waste reduction, and resource-efficient hospitality.