A New Renewable Matter
In fact, “economy” derives from oikosnomos (οἶκοςνÏ�μος), meaning the management of a hou...
Circular Europe
How will the Circular Economy Package (CEP) impact Europe? This is the fundamental question everyone in the business is debating right now. In Brussels the glass seems to be half full for ...
Amsterdam, the Circular City
The city of Amsterdam has made a major step in the transition to become one of the world’s first circular cities. The goal? Minimize waste, innovate product-as-a-service business, boast new bu...
The Lazarus' Effect: The Second Life of Patagonia Clothes
Product Life-Extension is an oft-talked pillar of the circular economy, many talk the talk, but less walk the walk. Patagonia, the famous outdoor fashion brand from Ventura, California, ha...
Stop Death (of Objects)
If Ellen MacArthur is the dame of the circular economy, Walter R. Stahel (born June 5, 1946) can be well awarded the title of father of this economic model. Stahel has been influential in ...
Water vs. Coal. South Africa's Filthy War
Photography: Fausto Podavini Research: Marirosa Iannelli Top image: Witbank. In a coal mine a woman collects coal for personal use. Coal is the only resource for locals. “Do y...
The Doughnut Age
The greatest challenge for humanity in the 21st century is fulfilling all humanity’s needs, within the planetary boundaries. How can we ensure everybody the pursuit of happiness, end...
The Advent of Offsite Construction
There is a new and visionary way to conceive buildings bubbling up in Europe. Enough with costly and complex construction sites, managed with 20th century modalities and knowledge. The construction ...
The Man Who Rethinks Buildings
Victor Olgyay ©BompanEmanuele Boulder, Colorado. Mountains half-surround this small city at the feet of the Rocky Mountains. Not far away shine the higher peaks, ...
We Recyle Oil
In the circular economy one of the most controversial sticking points is the supply of material to recycle or regenerate. As William McDonough outlines in this issue of Renewable Matter, waste shou...
Tyres Galore
From a screeching noise to the muffled silence in a church. That of recycled tyres is a crucial parable, in the latest project by Ecopneus, a non profit company for ELTs (End-of-life tyres), made of...
The Resilience renaissance
Few have applied integrated thinking and cross-disciplinary approach to environmental studies as Carl Folke. Author of 12 books and over 200 scientific papers, including 15 in Science and ...
Water Boundaries
Water is the best example of circularity in nature. Everybody remembers clearly the charts showing the water cycle on biology textbooks in high schools. Snow, rain, tributaries, lakes, seas, evapora...
Houses in Hot Pursuitof Cars
If 30 years ago a mid-range car would run at ten litres of petrol per 100 kilometres, today, a hybrid model only needs a little over three. That’s an incredible evolution for the transport se...
The Dame Who Sank the Linear Economy
Energetic, discrete, influential, outspoken, complex, Ellen MacArthur is the Dame of the circular economy. She convinced Google and the World Economic Forum that the linear model is over a...
Biofuels: The Aviation Industry Takes Off
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in 2014 air transport produced 715 million tons of CO2 (689 in 2012), about 2% of climate-change gases. Not a negligible share. There...
Circular Design: Matter Exits No Man's land
“Nature and its design are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for science and designers. Its shapes, materials and complexity offer great inspiration.” These were the words of Jani...
It all Started in Helsinki
It might well have been the largest circular economy gathering to this day. We are talking about the first ever World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF), that took place in Helsinki, Finland, on 5-7 June...
Upcycle and the Atomic Bomb
Elliptical, philosophical, rarely obscure and always enlightened with solid, simple concepts. Talking for more than an hour with one of the XXI century design guru is a revealing trip in e...
The Planet We Will See
In your latest book, The Great Transition, you discussed how we are starting our transition out of fossil fuel. Which technology you see trending right now and which have the highest hope ...