What we learnt from talking to people about the circular economy – Inside track

In October, I was lucky enough to step away from my usual work routine to travel across the UK, with a videographer in tow, meeting people who work in and use the ‘circular economy’ every day. We travelled far and wide, to Glasgow, Stafford, Manchester and London.

One thing we’re aware of at Green Alliance is that ‘circular economy’, while a useful catch all term for us to explain this exciting concept to policy makers, has an abstract air about it. But, knowing it is all about people and goes to the heart of what they care about (our recent poll found that 83 per cent see throwaway culture as a problem), we wanted to capture that directly and bring the abstract to life through individual stories and voices.

Unpacked, the concept is well understood by everyone. It’s about value and values: getting as much use out of things as possible and reusing and repairing things we care about and don’t want to throw away.

Out of all the hours of inspiring interviews with a wide range of people, we have produced a short eight minute documentary, Five reasons people love the circular economy, plus over 20 short videos sharing people’s stories.

For us, this was an incredible learning opportunity and a real pleasure to see people directly benefiting from something we’ve worked over 13 years to promote through our Circular Economy Task Force.

Reflecting on this project, three big lessons stand out.

1. There’s more than one reason to love the circular economy
One of the clearest messages from our interviews was how varied people’s motivations were.

For some, it’s about a growing business opportunity. Callum who works in B&Q’s refurbishing facility in Stafford said that demand for their products had “outstripped supply”, a sign that customers want this choice and, as a consequence, new jobs and roles are emerging.

Others focused on affordability. Bruno, a site operative at the Greater Manchester Renew Hub, spoke about families leaving “with a big smile” after being “able to afford a bike for each kid”, and the pride he feels at being part of something that creates that kind of moment.

Quality and reliability came up repeatedly too. Jason, who prepares products for resale at Screwfix in Stafford, stressed that “every single [refurbished] product is tested”, unlike new products, and was delighted their products often had better customer reviews than those bought new, giving more people access to high quality tools.

Many also valued something less tangible: the sense of community and belonging that grows when communities repair, share and learn together. Volunteers told us how they loved coming together to learn from each other about repair. Kyra, from the Library of Things in London, shared a story of local community projects that had been achieved using tools they lent out.

Running through everything was a strong instinct that it was a very positive thing. People know reducing waste is better for the environment, that resources should be used wisely and they are proud they can contribute to that.

2. Nothing busts myths quite like first hand experience
Minds change when people see repair, reuse or sharing working in practice, try it themselves and feel the benefits.

Bruno, at the Renew Hub, admitted he once believed that buying new was the only way to guarantee quality. But, seeing how thoroughly items are tested and prepared for reuse, he told us, “I really trust the reused items.” Rahimah, a repair café customer in East Ham, said she regretted throwing a toaster away after watching one fixed in minutes. She reflected on how many people assume repair will be too costly or inconvenient, and wished more would visit repair cafés to challenge those assumptions.

The more these initiatives are supported everywhere, the more people will encounter them, trust them and benefit from the value they offer. Every item saved from the bin, every first repair or reused purchase grows confidence in it.

3. People want more ambition and change
Perhaps the strongest thread running through all our conversations was that people want more of this. Moving past the jargon, to focus on what is happening on the high street and in communities, it’s clear that circularity is just common sense and people love it. It’s a positive shift that saves money, cuts waste and creates opportunities, and it helps to counter the sense people have that the current system is not working.

As Chieh Yu from ACS in Glasgow, Europe’s largest circular fashion business, put it, “all industries have to face this reality” and recognise that “sustainability is the future”. Jason from Screwfix summed up a widely shared feeling: “We know we live in a throwaway society. To us, that is not acceptable. We need to do whatever we can, however small, to stop that … and to keep products in use for longer.”

The government should give the circular economy a rocket boost
This project has certainly made me feel more hopeful than ever about what could be achieved in the UK, for communities and for the environment. The circular economy resonates with people and meets their needs: it saves money, improves lives, builds community and protects the planet.

Soon, we expect the government to release its Circular Economy Growth Plan for England. This will be the opportunity to match the enthusiasm we witnessed with government support. If the plan reflects the expectations of people we met and backs the practical changes they want to see, it could turn progress in pockets around the country into something much bigger. The appetite is there. Now we need the policy to help it grow.

Visit our YouTube channel to watch all our circular economy stories.