At our event this year, on the theme of the ‘circular economy’, our expert speakers offered their insight into the scale of the problem represented by the current ‘take, make, dispose’ economic model, while sharing their thoughts on how a shift away from a linear economy is possible.
We are witnessing a step change in public attitudes towards sustainability and the environment. There is a growing awareness of the need for us all to take personal responsibility for the preservation of our world, and of the urgency with which we must act.
Innovation in the design and manufacture of electronic products and devices has resulted in greatly expanded access and brought about benefits for society that were inconceivable only a few decades ago.
Packaging serves a range of purposes. When designed well, it protects goods across increasingly long supply chains and can extend the life of food and beverage products, helping to minimise wastage, while also offering protection against contamination.
Fast fashion describes the increasingly rapid movement of designer-inspired clothing from the catwalk to the mainstream consumer at affordable prices.
The circular economy
Changing the patterns of production and consumption.
The traditional 'take-make-dispose' economic model of production and consumption is inherently problematic. It is heavily dependent on the use of finite resources to satisfy increasing demand for products, leading to production methods and consumer habits that exacerbate problems of resource waste and environmental pollution.
Rathbone Greenbank Investments has endorsed The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, launched this week at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali.
The environmental damage that plastic waste causes has become a global problem. Steps to address the issue are now being taken worldwide, with a reduction in non-biodegradable plastics a key goal. But how close is science to offering us viable solutions?
On 3 May, the Royal Institution played host to an informative and diverse discussion on the topic of plastic pollution at a how to: Academy event moderated by The New York Times and sponsored by Rathbones.
