Circular economy in diagrams: where logic breaks down and where financial incentives can work

Are your circle economy diagrams confusing your audience? This article aims to help you communicate clearly. As a staunch aficionado of reaching a resilient economy through sustainability I am all for circle economy thinking- if it ensures people get food on the table and a roof over their heads. Unclear delivery will not help our cause. We talk of circle economy from two angles: economy as a form of housekeeping and economy in terms of monetary flows. These are not always the same thing. The final section suggests a solution.

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Learning from the ECO-ISLANDS conference

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One of the electric cars you rent with a simple text message

Arriving at this year’s ECO ISLANDS conference, held on the Danish Island of Bornholm, I wasn’t expecting it to feel like a Transition meeting. I was attending the conference to discuss things related to my day job – pollution taxes. I was delighted as the conference progressed to discover that many islands around the world are going through their own transition process, even if most of them hadn’t heard of Transition Towns. ECO ISLANDS is a network of Islands that have stated that they are aiming toward sustainability, by signing something called the Accord, a statement of intent that over 50 islands have already signed. […]

Shifting Power, Shifting Economy

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Lindsberg Conference Center basking in the late summer sunshine

Lindsberg conference center, just outside the Swedish town of Falun, saw three days of Powershift Sweden with PUSH, a youth movement conference for action for a fossil-free society. As a fellow of ISSS (the Institute of Swedish Safety and Security) and one of the founders of Transition Sweden, I brought the complementary currency ITK to the seminar  as the conference’s volunteer currency. […]

Swedish Foundation sees fees on raw materials can create circular economy

Just released, the latest version of the Swedish Sustainable Economy Foundation’s White paper presents in detail how nations can usher in the zero emission, no waste society using a special fee mechanism on raw materials. Download the paper from the Foundation’s web site  People get worried that we should reduce consumerism, as our way of Read more about Swedish Foundation sees fees on raw materials can create circular economy[…]

Where we need innovation: the economic system

The present economic system is a patchwork of taxes and subsidies and ideas that have been around since at least the 1800s. Tax upon tax has been added trying to bring control and equality to the system. The picture here shows just the CATEGORIES of transactions involved and then just the most common. If we Read more about Where we need innovation: the economic system[…]

Transition to biomass society with a complementary currency

This white paper discusses the challenge of replacing fossil-fueled supply chains with less energy-intense renewable solutions whilst rapidly reducing the carbon in the atmosphere. It suggests that a complimentary currency, backed by carbon fees and pledges from landowners to sequester carbon using soil and biochar, could be the answer. Read the paper here. A complementary currency Read more about Transition to biomass society with a complementary currency[…]

Time to form the culture we want – starting with small acts of kindness

This is a translation and adaptation of the leader column I submitted – in my capacity as JAK board member – to JAK’s alternative economy magazine, Grus och Guld. JAK is a member- owned cooperative bank offering interest-free loans. Like many JAK members I am driven by the desire to change society for the better. Read more about Time to form the culture we want – starting with small acts of kindness[…]

New eco-village design

This new design (Click on it to see a larger image) is a first sketch for the assignment to design a village layout for a project in Brazil, a village that will house a conference centre in the middle of six sustainable farms. The centre and village will get its food (and coffee) from the Read more about New eco-village design[…]

The V2V fund

A lot of people nowadays long for a different lifestyle – a feeling of being close to nature, being part of a community and having somewhere they can enjoy living with a good, green conscience. But making the change is a huge step for many. You need time to get to know what you are Read more about The V2V fund[…]