Circular Planet: Recent Episodes
Alicja Mazurkiewicz
In this podcast we will discuss the concept, key elements, and benefits of the circular economy! The goal of this series is to raise awareness for those of us who are environmentally conscious but not necessarily experts about emerging solutions to environmental challenges.
Meet Alicja, an Environmental Leaders Intern at Bethesda Green and the host of the Circular Planet podcast! Get excited to learn everything you need to know about the circular economy.
Why do we produce so much waste and pollution in the first place? In this episode I will be discussing the root cause: the linear economy, and its negative effects on our planet. But what can be done? We will learn about the concept of sustainability and introduce the vision of the circular economy as an emerging solution to combat the effects of the linear economy. We will hear from Dr. Diana Watts, Professor of environmental science and policy at Johns Hopkins University and Trinity University.
What if we could design out waste and pollution? In this episode we will be discussing the importance of product and system design and why we must rethink the way things are designed. We will get to know what design in the circular economy looks like and all of the benefits! To get a better sense of the circular design process, I talked with Vanessa Balboni Hallik, who is the founder of the sustainable clothing brand Another Tomorrow.
One of the most important concepts behind the circular economy is for materials to not be wasted, and used to their highest value. But what does this mean and how do we do it? In this episode I will discuss different ways to keep materials in use, and what companies, communities, and individuals can do to help. To help us understand how it can be done in practice, I spoke with Matias Arnal, an economist and founder of Urbanized, a company that reuses organic waste to create beauty products.
In this episode I talk about how to transition from extraction of natural resources to regeneration of nature. We will explore how, instead of continuously degrading our soil, we can employ farming practices that allow nature to rebuild soils to fight climate change and increase biodiversity. To help us understand the differences between growing food with conventional farming, versus organic regenerative farming, we will hear from Ryanji Kalivretenos, a regenerative farmer and yogi, who is founder of Common Root Farm in Olney Maryland; and Mike Protas and Charlotte Henderson, from One Acre farm in Dickerson, Maryland.
In this episode I talk about the scientific and technological advances that will help us adopt the circular economy. These technological innovations showcase how sustainability and the circular economy can work together in the drive for positive change. A company called Margik, created by Margaret Kocherga, is developing a technology to produce multifunctional materials for electronics that are 100% organic. I had a chance to speak with Dr. Kocherga about how these materials work and how they are beneficial to the environment: especially through designing out waste and pollution. I also spoke to Julia Daviy, the CEO of Imageneria, a company that allows users to 3-D print NFTs.
In this episode we will discuss some of the existing barriers to circularity and what can be done by governments, and businesses to overcome them through effective policies and partnerships. Additionally, we look at the role of cities in the circular economy. And finally, I analyze how cities are relevant in the circular transition. We will hear from Emily Yates who is the smart city director in Philadelphia, PA!