Biofore Magazine 2020

BIG PICTURE

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Thismeans that it’s not always the consumers who need to be push- ing for companies to change but rather vice versa. Beck suggests that companies should be motivated to offer convenient, easy to under- stand and sustainable solutions to consumers. “I think the supply side is going to be extremely important going forward. And the supply side is not only about better and smarter solutions from companies, but also about the political will to change things. Obviously the world is, to put it mildly, a little chaotic right now, so the political will is going to be different in different parts of the world,” Beck says. Systematic changes are needed if we are to get the necessary pro- cesses in place that will cater to circularity and to reducing emissions. Most of the systems that are necessary require collaboration between companies, according to Beck. Moreover, many companies in the EU are willing to speed up change, but they don’t have the necessary sys- tems or regulations in place. “I work a lot with Ikea and if we’re talking about circularity in the furniture business, of course it’s a superb idea. We really need it, and Ikea and its competitors areworking on it. But it’s just extremely com- plicated. What do you actually do with a bed that youwant to get rid of besides burning it or throwing it in the trash? These systems are sim- ply not in place yet and they take a lot of time to develop,” says Beck. These systems also are needed acutely in delivery services based on disposables, according to Copello. Delivery services have helped businesses survive during a period when in-person sales weren’t an option, but these current delivery models cannot be maintained long- term. There are already many existing solutions based on efficient and reusable systems that can be scaled up, including for e-commerce

not change significantly. Beck says the need to focus on smarter con- sumption remains, regardless of whether overall volume falls. Shifting patterns of consumption and production One thing that the experts agree on is that if the world is to meet the UN’s Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) then con- sumption patterns and levels need to shift considerably – and that it’s time to reconsider these patterns in high-income countries where over-consumption has long been an issue. Ultimately, consumersmake their own decisions about what to buy. But consuming consciously is often a daunting task. This is especially true if consumers don’t have the information needed to determine the sustainability of their choices. “For there to be consumer awareness, information is key. Consum- ers need to be given access to information so they can make informed choices, and not just make decisions based on a cultural or societal paradigm ,” Copello says.