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Where we discuss the latest news and perspectives on the Circular Economy and issues relating to Social, Environmental and Economic Sustainability.
Episodes
Wednesday Apr 08, 2020
Wednesday Apr 08, 2020
Hi, this is Ken Alston with the Circularity Edge podcast.
Today is April 8th, 2020.
On the last episode I made an open invitation to you. A personal invitation to help you with your biggest challenges and the opportunity to talk together about big questions like: WHAT NOW? And WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Well as the title of the podcast says, yesterday was a wild and wonderful day.
I’m extremely happy that some of you decided to take me up on my offer to talk because you’re the reason for my wild (and wonderful day)
Yesterday I video-conferenced with like-minded enthusiastic people in Sri Lanka, Colombia & Mexico, Norway and the West coast of the USA. Listen to the podcast for full details.
Go to my CALENDAR if you want to schedule a conversation with me about the big challenges you are dealing with.
Tuesday Mar 31, 2020
Tuesday Mar 31, 2020
Hi, this is Ken Alston with the Circularity Edge podcast.
Today is March 30th, 2020.
I’m starting right out of the gate with a personal offer to you. A personal invitation to help you with your biggest challenges and the opportunity to talk together about WHAT NOW? And WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.
You can schedule time on my calendar by going to:
https://calendly.com/kenalston/challenge
Along with my colleagues in Circularity Edge, I’m creating a new community of committed individuals who want to change the world for the better through the ingenuity and creativity of business enterprise.
In this episode I talk about the effects of the pandemic, the current state of affairs in the USA and how we're facing a New World with New Rules.
Abundance and opportunity is all around us in the midst of the pandemic.
We have a unique opportunity to CO-CREATE the post-pandemic economy.
I'm working in Circularity Edge on new training, new businesses and want to INVITE you to join the new COMMUNITY of PRACTICE we're building around new business enterprises.
Click to Schedule a call with Ken Alston
Monday Mar 23, 2020
Monday Mar 23, 2020
Reading is a vitally important activity to gain wisdom and learn from the past.
I urge you to read 20 miniutes a day - every day.
I'll talk about two books, Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" (pictured) and Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs & Steel".
There's ample evidence in Jarod's book of the history of germs and their evolution from domesticated animals to infect humans.
We should have been and going forward need to be - better prepared.
I'll discuss the LOCAL significance of the coronavirus outbreak and relate this to the Global-Local dynamic that's at play and is at the center of what we need to look at as we restart Global, Regional, National and Local economies.
There is an opportunity to put more priority on sustainable, circular solutions as we look to create more RESILIENT systems in place going forward.
More on resilience and abundance next time...
Stay Healthy,
Ken Alston
Join Me, Working at the Positive & Beneficial Sustainable Circularity Edge
Saturday Mar 21, 2020
Saturday Mar 21, 2020
It's a stark choice we face. The good news is - there is an upside, there is a wealth of opportunity in front of us.
It's nature's way of improving things over geologic time.
The most important thing right now is looking after yourself and your extended family so you are in good shape to survive, grow stronger and sustain your leadership to help others, for the short, medium and long term.survice-evolve-die
It’s a marathon we face, so find a pace you can maintain.
Frankly speaking, no one gives a damn about “sustainable development” or “circular economy” right now.
And that’s OK.
We’ve dropped to the bottom of Maslov’s hierarchy of needs and basic food, shelter and survival is the first order of the day for most of us.
Local, regional and National governments across the world are scrambling to deal with the health crisis and the economic consequences that are growing as fast as the virus is spreading and wreaking its deadly havoc.
In a very short space of geologic time we will get on top of this and most of us will literally be able to breathe again.
As we move into the “recovery” phase it’s incumbent on us to pause for a minute and not just go back to the old "business as usual" modality.
There is a unique opportunity to do some things differently as we begin to ramp up and conduct business again.
These can include changes to operate in a way that is more resilient to shocks, is more sustainable and yes, more circular.
Ironically, in the midst of this pandemic, we’re seeing Carbon emissions lower than anyone could have ever in their wildest dreams have dreamed of just a few days ago. But of course, it’s only a reflection of inactivity in business operations and not any long term systemic improvement we still need to bring about.
For me, right now I’m social distancing - like everyone else should.
Thankfully, my health is good and so far (touch wood) I’m Covid-19 symptom free.
Now I have some extra time to think and to create.
Along with my colleagues in CircularityEdge I’m working on new practical tools, techniques, training and businesses that I confidently expect will fit the needs of the “new normal” we will move into later this year and next.
It may not be the same as our “old normal”, but that’s OK too.
Nature evolves and sometimes it’s a dramatic change in the external environment that forces a significant change in how the organism evolves…or dies.
Survivors adapt.
We will adapt.
In the coming weeks you will hear and see more from me about new insights and initiatives spurred on by this global pandemic and its effects.
Some of these initiatives will start LOCALLY and not only in the Unites States.
As I posted last week, ultimately, all sustainability is local.
If you want to keep in touch with me and learn about these initiatives as they are ready, you can do so (here) by subscribing to my podcast at: https://circularityedge.podbean.com/
If you are interested in being a part of the change and or working closely with me in Circularity Edge on these new initiatives, contact me via the CONTACTS page at: www.circularityedge.com or via my LinkedIn page.
Stay well and find ways to be part of the solution to the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Best wishes, Ken
Monday Jan 06, 2020
Monday Jan 06, 2020
In this podcast Ken talks about making New Year's Resolutions as we move into 2020. Not just STARTING, but acting with VISION (20:20) and accepting fate as we play the game, as we are NOT in control of the complex world we live in.
In renewing his personal commitment to working to design and implement a sustainable, circular economy Ken talks about the 2 main areas of his focus in 2020 and invites YOU to work with him in your city, mentoring and taking actions locally wherever you are in the world.
Contact Ken at: www.CircularityEdge.com or www.CircularAssets.com.
Tuesday Dec 31, 2019
Tuesday Dec 31, 2019
In this podcast Ken reflects on 2019, the end of the decade and looks forward to the new year, the decade of the 2020's.
He calls for this to be the "Year (and Decade) of the RE-'s":
RE-VOLUTION now, starting on January 1st 2020.
RE-DO everything for positive, beneficial outcomes.
RE-THINK – Rethink the linear business model
RE-DESIGN – Redesign for circular business models
RE-USE – Reuse materials at the end of use which RE-QUIRES new product designs and new reverse logistics systems capable of being implemented on a LOCAL level.
RE-NEW – Renew your personal commitment to reducing your negative footprint on the planet and to increase your positive footprint.
RE-GENERATE – Regenerate the earth, put Carbon where it is meant to be – in soil, in living matter as productive carbon.
RE-ENERGIZE – Reenergize your power needs with clean renewable energy.
RE-DUCE – Reduce, then eliminate the BAD or negative footprint of the linear economy and then go beyond setting “less bad” goals to setting goals with positive, beneficial outcomes.
RE-VALUE – Revalue people, places and culture – locally and globally.
RE-PAIR – Repair goods and provide services to keep products at a high quality, operating for extended periods of time.
RE-EDUCATE – Put sustainable, circular economy into schools and universities, not just in the curriculum but also into the administration, the very operation of the institutions so that students are immersed in and experience a sustainable circular economy in the very fabric of their university experience.
And as many more "RE-'s" as is needed to create the REVOLUTION that's needed.
Viva La Revolucion – Economia Circular Sostenible!
Sunday Dec 01, 2019
Sunday Dec 01, 2019
I've known and worked with Alexandre Fernades for about ten years now! I first met him in Berlin and we've worked together in Brazil, the Carribean islands and across South America.
This podcast was recorded during the Circular Economy Forum of the Americas (#CEFA2019) in Medellin, Colombia. We talk about the sustainable circular economy and developments in Brazil.
Alexandre is an urbanist, Associate Consultant at GeoCidades, Senior advisor for the Circular Economy Platform for the Americas, CEP-Americas, dedicated to advocacy and strategy design applying the circular economy approach to systems on the different scales of the territory for a more sustainable development.
Contact Alex at: +55 48 9117-0540: alexandre.fernandes@sustainableamericas.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandregobbofernandes/
Wednesday Oct 30, 2019
Wednesday Oct 30, 2019
Today's episode tells the story of a humble pencil - Lapiz Grun.
It's an entrepreneurial venture to benefit vulnerable people in Colombia financially while simultaneously creating a closed loop cycle - for a sustainable circular economy - in graphite and in paper.
I am indebted to Juan David Pinzon, Jeffrey Jimenez and Ian Carlo Jimenez for contributing to this episode with their creativity and passion for making a difference in Bogota, In Colombia and the world.
Ken Alston with Jeffrey Jimenez at the CEID 12th Annual International Environmental Conference in Bogota, Colombia October 22, 2019.
Their project is an INSPIRATION and forms a model for what anyone can do anywhere.
How many materials you we imagine taking out of the waste stream and reconverting them to valuable goods and services.
Individually, initiatives like these seem small, but collectively they are HUGE.
Economic, social and environmental creativity and innovation - that's the heartbeat of a sustainable circular economy.
Learn more about Grun Management and the LapizGrun project:
https://www.instagram.com/grunmanagementsas/
https://www.facebook.com/GrunManagementSAS
https://twitter.com/GrunManagement
https://www.linkedin.com/company/grun-management
Contact: gerencia @ grunmangement.com
Friday Oct 04, 2019
Friday Oct 04, 2019
In this edition, Ken Alston interviews Mauricio Zenteno, co-founder of the Camelhub in Medellin, Colombia.
Ken and Mauricio discuss the definition of Circular Economy, how the term is often misunderstood and the emerging opportunities in startups and the value of connecting through the Circular Economy Platform of the Americas network.
Saturday Sep 21, 2019
Saturday Sep 21, 2019
For details of the shared assets platform go to www.CircularAssets.com
Meet me here:
- September 26th, Cali Epicenter of Development & Peace in Cali Colombia.
- September 28-30th in Medellin , Colombia
- October 2nd in Panama City, Panama.