The Power of Circularity | Developing a Circular Economy for Progress

Going in circles? 

Spinning out of control? 

Looping back on yourself? 

You could be mistaken for thinking that anything to do with circles lacks any sense of forward movement. It’s time to think a little differently. 
 
At Techbuyer circles drive our progress, our research, innovation, and our entire business. 

As an ethical, sustainable IT solutions provider, we take our green credentials seriously and this Black Friday we are shouting loud and proud about the benefits of a circular economy. 

For the sake of the planet, this Black Friday, we are declaring enough is enough – it is time to move past the old ways of take-make-waste and mobilise for a circular economy. We want to highlight how you can contribute today and join the circular economy revolution. 

Proper Methods for Dealing with Waste and Recycled Materials 

Most people currently use the Earth's resources as raw materials to create products, which are then discarded as waste when no longer useful. This take-make-waste system is clearly unsustainable and must be replaced with a circular economy if we're to make any impact on halting and reversing the damage we're causing to the planet. 

This is indicated by the date of Earth Overshoot Day (the date each year on which we have used all the planet’s resources that can be regenerated in a year), which fell on the 28th July this year, demonstrating that we need approximately two planets to sustain our current material usage. 

We must not only get better at handling our waste streams and become more inventive with how we discard of materials, but we also must improve the use, availability and regulations around using recycled and refurbished resources.

Stricter legislation and higher rewards for companies dealing with their waste in creative and sustainable ways should be increased to promote responsible disposal. However, company initiative is also needed. For example, at Techbuyer we have a zero-to-landfill policy at our UK headquarters. This does not solely involve recycling; we send waste to be used as resources by schools and education bodies and we reuse wherever possible. 

These measures mean little if we do not know how to deal with the resources we recover. For a truly circular economy, we must get better at using (and re-using) recovered materials, rather than turning towards newly mined resources. These changes will have to be made at government level, but your organisation can contribute by choosing refurbished, reused and recycled wherever possible. 

In a circular economy, waste is used as a resource and a fuel for development, production and even financial growth rather than a consequence of our activities and products.

Material Retention and Circular Product Design

Within the “take-make-waste" structure of our economy, products are not always built to last, and many have waste built into their design. This must change for the development of a circular economy. An everyday example is device chargers that generate up to 54,000 metric tons of e-waste every year. 

However, attitudes are changing for the better, and we are seeing more companies and governments turn towards products built to last, waste reduction and universal design. Similarly, materials such as Green Steel and recycled fabrics are becoming increasingly prominent.

With the right design and approach, many products could be shared, repaired, refurbished, remanufactured, and, as a last option, recycled. To encourage a circular economy, we must look to make the most of what we have and create products for longevity and where possible, reuse.

Retain Value of Materials and Products

The circular economy is not only about reducing waste; it has the power to create major societal and economic benefits. 
 
Common business practice is to write off the value of products after a certain period. This means that the older things get, the less value we assign to our goods. This process of amortisation is damaging for the retention of product value and circular development.  

A circular economy promotes longevity and repair (boosting performance and making necessary upgrades in place of throwing away and buying new) and changes our attitudes away from using age as the core characteristic of value, instead focusing on a product’s capabilities.

Partnerships and Collaboration

Many of the aspects needed to make a circular economy work from a financial, performance-driven, and environmental standpoint have not yet been created. 

For a flourishing circular economy, new assets, methodologies, products and ideas must be developed or even invented, and this comes from collaboration. Developing the market from one of competitiveness to one of collaboration is a necessary step. Sharing knowledge between experts and different industries allows us to generate innovative ideas and necessary developments for a circular model to grow. 

In 2021, we worked with our packaging supplier, in our UK headquarters, to design a new form of sustainable packaging, Eco Strata™,which is manufactured from 70% recycled plastics and is fully recyclable. This partnership developed a new product to aid the circular economy. We believe that companies should look for the collaborations that will drive progress. Find out more about our sustainability partnerships here. 

Going in Circles Doesn’t Mean Standing Still 

We still have a lot of work to do to develop a truly circular economy that supports our economy, community and society. However, every step we take is one in the right direction and through harnessing the power of circularity we drive forward progress. 

It’s crucial for consumers and businesses alike to fully embrace the circular economy now. It’s imperative that the circular economy becomes a dominant global practice, and by implementing a series of systems to aid its development, we believe this is possible. 

We believe a circular economy really is the best way to create a sustainable, brighter future for all. It is the optimal solution on all fronts: finance, sustainability, efficiency, and value retention. With the right controls, we can ensure that we are developing a circular economy that will not only work but that will support our needs and development now and in the future. 

Find out more about why we believe in a circular economy here.

Harnessing the Power of Circularity this Black Friday

Black Friday is an internationally recognised event that encourages consumers and retailers to fuel the take-make-waste model. This Black Friday, we are championing the circular economy. This Black Friday, trade in preloved laptops when buying your next device from Techbuyer. We can tell you what your used technology is worth, and, depending on the device, we may even be able to offer you a rebate to spend on your next purchase. 

Get in touch to find out exactly what your used technology is worth.