Ikea, REI and Eileen Fisher are banking on a circular model to propel them into the next era of commerce.//Images by Graeme Dawes, Eric Glenn and Helen89 on Shutterstock. Moving from a linear business model to a circular takes time, effort and trial and error. But it also has its hidden benefits. "It can help you with some operational efficiencies. It can also position you to be sort of a company of the future, and also, frankly, tackle the environmental challenges that we have of our consumption model," said Tensie Whelan, director at New York University’s Stern Center for Sustainable Business, at the end of a conversation that she moderated about circular business models at GreenBiz 21 . Whelan led a conversation with leaders at REI, IKEA and Eileen Fisher, each of which are embracing circular practices in some parts of their businesses. For REI, transitioning to a circular model seems inevitable so it’s doing the work now. "REI, as a company, we believe that this broader kind of shift to a more circular economy is something that the world is really going to have to do over the next 10 years," said Ken Voeller, director of circular commerce […]
Latest Articles
The woman who rifles through New York’s garbage – exposing the city’s excesses
Anna Sacks documents her ‘trash walks’ on social media, shining a light on the everyday shame and indignity of producing and living with...
Probiotics could help save overheated coral
In lab experiments, an infusion of bacteria extracted from coral reefs made the difference between life and death for coral stuck in hot...
These 6 startups are creating buzz around edible insects
The term entomophagy — the practice of eating insects — may initially sound strange. We rarely hear about insect-eating outside the context of...
Playing with your Food can Reduce Your Carbon Impact
Playing with your Food can Reduce Your Carbon Impact
By Devon M. Whalen, co-founder of Green Whale The impact of the food industry on the...
How One Formerly Redlined City Is Striving to Green Itself
This story was originally published by Undark and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. When Dovie “DJ” Arnold plants...
Features Flowers Research Retail Trends Selling plants with a purpose: Greenhouse ornamentals for pollinator...
Non-native plants can be very attractive to local pollinators. The Cosmos pictured here is a great example of a non-native plant species which...
