Design AM Recap:
No Collabs – No Progress
29. Nov 2021
Three experts discussed how we design the irresistible circular society and their message is clear: We need to work together, otherwise, we’ll never succeed
“You cannot become circular on your own – reach out!” Heidi Schütt Larsen, COO & Director of circular economy, Dansk Retursystem, declared during our DESIGN AM panel debate on creating the irresistible circular society in November 2021. And her statement was supported by her two companions on stage: Rosa Nøss Bendixen, designer, and owner of Wild Studio, and Ditte Lysgaard Vind, partnerships director at Lendager Group. Ditte Vind added:
“We must gather around the circular mission. This is where the potential lies. Everyone must work together and align towards the same goal. We need equal partnerships.”
To design our circular future, we need to rethink the economy and value as a business, as a politician, and as a citizen. We need to understand the risks and that we as a collective share these risks – that is essential for co-creation and partnerships. The debate was moderated by our CEO Christian Bason, and it was based on our newly published white paper ‘Designing the Irresistible Circular Society’ made in collaboration with Creative Denmark, Bloxhub, and DAC.
We’ve lost respect for Nature
The panel brought us on a journey back to our collective heritage. Historically, humans have lived in balance and as one with Nature, but not anymore:
“We have lost our sense and knowledge of materials. We extract resources from the ground, use them once, and throw them away. We have lost our respect for the world’s resources,” said Rosa Nøss Bendixen.
We live in the Anthropocene Epoch, which means that humans are forced to recognize and accept that the world we know is changing and the way we live in the world needs to change drastically. The panel agreed that the circular economy is an effective tool and method to use and articulate the changes we need to inherit.
For the circular economy to be achieved, we need to:
- Eliminate pollution and the idea of waste
- Circulate materials and products
- Regenerate nature
The circular future cannot be achieved if we do not collaborate and learn from each other and our collective heritage.
3 tips to more circularity
The three experts have worked with circularity and circular economy for more than a decade. Their best tips to live a more circular life are:
- Reduce
- Care
- Reach out!
Back to the roots
Denmark is known for designing simplicity. We need to go back to our roots and acknowledge the power of the Danish design DNA to help solve complex problems with simple design solutions.
“The future is created in the sphere between tradition and the contemporary solutions,” said Ditte Lysgaard Vind.
At the DDC, we work mission-oriented with circular economy and design and use it as a tool to bring stakeholders together and co-create the solutions for a better tomorrow.
“Design and designers hold the key to igniting the imagination humanity needs to embrace a very different and more balanced future. To do so, we have to collaborate and use design as the catalyst for innovating circular solutions, so if you are a business, a researcher, a consumer, or a policymaker – reach out. The transition to the irresistible circular society will only be achieved in collaboration. Join us!” writes Christian Bason in his chapter If you can imagine it, you can design it in the white paper.
Read the entire publication here.
Do you want to take part in designing an irresistible circular society?
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