002 - The Circular 

Economy

Geographic Knowledge and Understanding

Resource stewardship strategies, including:

the value of the circular economy as a systems approach for effective cycling of materials and energy.

Key Concepts

A circular economy approach is one possibility for managing resources sustainably.

Aims

Key Terminology

Define the word systems approach. We will be looking at what the circular economy is in the first activity but if you are still not sure what it is by the end of the lesson have a look at the useful links below.


Useful Links

Activity One - Watch

Watch the youtube clip below and answer the following questions to find out what the circular economy is.


Useful Resource

Activity Two - Models

Last lesson we were looking at two key views which focused on resources and the development of the country. Neo-Malthusian thought was very negative and Boserup was positive but where does the circular economy fit in and what is it trying to eradicate?


 Useful Resources

Geography for the IB Diploma Study and Revision Guide SL and HL Core - Pages 111-113

Project Syndicate - Have we met the limits to growth? 

Activity Three - The idea

Ellen MacArthur has been at the forefront of developing the concept of the circular economy and encouraging the idea to become a global way of thinking. In 2015 the European Commission submitted a circular economy paper to the European Parliament for digestion. But who is Ellen MacArthur? And how did she get the idea of the circular economy? 


Useful Resource

Activity Four - Detailed Examples

As you are now aware it is important to have detailed examples in Geography to help you to analyse whether ideas such as the circular economy are beneficial or not. Make notes on the youtube clip to create  detailed examples of how phones and jeans are changing to increase the level of recycling and are moving towards a circular economy.


Useful Resources

Exam Style Question

Outline two approaches at differing scales that have used the circular economy systems approach to address resource sustainability. [3 + 3]