Climate instability, volatile commodity prices, ocean dead zones, vanishing biodiversity and forests, stalling economic growth, expanding food insecurity and resource conflicts; all of these are part of the resources-to-waste pattern of linear economics. Any of these is reason enough for a new pattern. Decade after decade people talk about "spaceship economy" or "loop economy" or "cradle-to-cradle" or "circular economy" without it actually happening. What happens instead is examples of the new pattern within the old unchanged pattern. Examples of circular economy practice are perennial and abundant. Traditions such as bottle refilling or recycling; new designs such as bio-based plastics or recyclable cars; innovative business models such as selling goods as services - all are glimpses of the potential of a circular economy. They show that circular economy can be practical, popular and profitable. They provide hope and encourage further examples.
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