Today we are talking about the circular economy. Because we need one, but still don't have it.
Our economy, like so much else, has been steadily evolving. From simple bartering to the linear economy of Taylorism to a more service-driven range of products and services. But what has always remained the same is that our economy was and is committed to materialism. Hardly a thing in our everyday lives gets by without consuming resources. And unfortunately, we still live in a throwaway society, with most products simply ending up in the bin at the end of their use-life. The reason for this is simple: resources still cost practically nothing. While the factor labour is highly taxed, the factor material can be simply exploited. And it is. Just think of planned obsolescence, a strategy in which manufacturers artificially shorten the lifespan of their products. This is part of the truth about costs!
As I have often emphasised, including here: This form of economic activity is not sustainable. What we need: We need to price our resources honestly and thus make them more expensive and more lasting - and reduce other costs, such as human labour, in return. Less regulation but the right incentives. Then the market will work and will almost automatically lead to more careful use; "repair cafés" will then boom instead of obsolescence. Entirely new business models could become established: Products will no longer belong to the user, for example, but to the provider, and will only be rented or leased by the user. And - and now I'm bringing it up - regional resource flows are gaining in importance.
If we as a region learn to operate in such a circular way, we will have a real local advantage!
