The Circular Dorking Blog
Little stories to inspire big changes
Growth
27th October 2022
Growth is a hot topic in the UK Government, around the world and in the media
So, is a ‘Circular Economy’ anti-growth? (as some people assume)? Absolutely NOT, one hundred percent!
But it needs growth of the right things and anti-growth (reduction) of the wrong things.
Growth of these:
- Investment in sustainable creative industries (UK becoming a world leader)
- Renewable and very low carbon energy (onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, tidal, heat pumps, nuclear- subject to adequate waste management, anaerobic digestion of segregated organic waste, etc)
- Local sources of sustainable energy
- Energy efficiency (insulation solutions, electric transport)
- UK based energy suppliers and more community energy systems
- Incentives for Automation (to compete with low labour rates in some countries)
- Locally/nationally produced seasonal food
- Nationally produced and processed eco-packaging
- Waste reuse, repurposing, recycling technologies (becoming a world leader)
- Phosphate recovery at sewage treatment works (for use as fertiilser)
- Investment in science and technology and life sciences education and research
- Investment, education and support of budding entrepreneurs
- Routes to consumer markets that don’t involve huge global behemoth platforms (top 20 of those are in USA and Asia; with none in UK/Europe)
- A long term strategic plan focusing on the future and what UK can be good at, that protects security of supply and resilience of our crucial needs
- Health (pharmaceuticals, care, vaccines, teaching, innovation in health care) – don’t steal nurses/doctors from countries that need them themselves
- UK ownership of UK critical infrastructure
- A fair wage for the responsibilities and criticality of a job
- Taxes and incentives that encourage the above
- Increase exports of the above
Reduction of these:
- Import of products that we can easily produce in this country
- Our primary exports being oil and gas and military equipment
- Consumerism gone mad (stuff for stuff’s sake) often imports from the other side of the world, from authoritarian regimes paying less than minimal wage and using slave and child labour. UK has indirectly exported much of its carbon footprint growth to such countries!
- Fast fashion
In summary, a circular economy can very much be about growth and a positive sustainable future for the UK, Europe and the world. What an opportunity for us, our children, the next generation and the planet.
Find out more about the concept of doughnut economics.
