AUGUST 2024ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS REVIEW8 OPINIONIN MYWe are facing unprecedented times where climate change is occupying headlines, not just for the news about science-based findings on its severity and current reality but for the increase of climate-related events such as landslides, droughts, and floods, among others. While this occurs, we face a rise in climate anxiety as people are concerned about their future. At the same time, there is a need for more clarity in understanding how we as a society, including consumers, companies, and governments, are responsible for this climate reality. That is why I would like to dive deeper into the circular economy and the challenges we are facing regarding waste management. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, while renewable energy would address 55 percent of emissions reductions to reach Paris Agreement targets, the circular economy would be responsible for the remaining 45 percent. Eliminating waste and pollution is one of the three principles of this model and the fundamental way of reaching it is through design, by creating products that can be reincorporated into the cycle with the well-known 3Rs, which range from reused to the last resort, recycled. Waste has become one of the most pressing issues, accounting for 5 percent of total emissions. The UNEP Global Waste Management Outlook 2024 predicts that municipal solid waste is expected to grow from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2023 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050. This would cost USD 361 billion when considering climate change impact, health-related issues, and waste management costs. The invitation then is to turn into a zero-waste model where By Maria Camila Lopez Rojas, Director of Sustainability, Juan Valdez Caféredesigning products, changing consumer habits, enforcing regulations, and promoting stakeholder engagement are crucial to reaching a significant reduction in waste generation. Rethinking packaging in consumer packaged goods or the retail industry is necessary to avoid waste in landfills. There are a lot of multi-materials that are not easy to incorporate like the traditional coffee packaging, again contributing to pollution. Also, an estimated half a trillion disposable coffee cups are discarded every year globally. The plastic lining in paper cups while making them leak-proof also makes them very difficult to recycle as it requires specific facilities to process. Innovative alternatives, product lifetime, scalability, costs, and functionality seem to be very important aspects to address before the coffee industry turns into those solutions. This takes us to consumer habits and how important it is A COLLECTIVE ACTION TOWARD CIRCULAR ECONOMY Maria Camila Lopez Rojas
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