Episodios

  • 179 Dimitri Naczaj: using behavioural science to bridge the “say-do” gap

    179 Dimitri Naczaj: using behavioural science to bridge the “say-do” gap
    Apr 4 2026
    Dimitri Naczaj is a behavioural scientist and founder of Bellegarde Scientific Consulting, a research-based consultancy applying behavioural science to the challenges of the circular economy. His work focuses on understanding and changing human behaviour towards sustainable habits, such as sorting for recycling, repair and reuse, and participation to return programs. Dimitri and his colleagues design evidence-based interventions that make circular systems work in practice, on a behavioural level. Since his Ph.D., Dimitri has worked extensively on electronic devices, including collection, repair and reuse. As Dimitri explains, behavioural science helps us find ways to bridge the "say-do" gap, the gap between intentions and actions, so we can encourage circular and sustainable behaviours. Dimitri outlines three ‘moments’ of circular economy behaviours: before using, while using, and after using, and explains how our choices are influenced by a variety of factors including environmental awareness, or personal values, and information transparency. We discuss how behavioural science can support circular options such as repairing, sharing and returning products at the end of life, and if you’d like to learn more, Dimitri recommends three books to read.
    Más Menos
    42 m
  • 178 Simon Cook of Reset Scenery: embedding circularity into the creative industries

    178 Simon Cook of Reset Scenery: embedding circularity into the creative industries
    Mar 22 2026
    Simon Cook is co-founder of Reset Scenery, a Scotland-based organisation working at the intersection of the creative industries and the circular economy. Simon has over 25 years in set construction and more than a decade focused on circular practice, and works to reduce waste in the creative industries by reclaiming, repurposing and rethinking scenic fabrication. Through Reset Scenery’s circular programmes, material recovery systems and industry advocacy, Simon champions practical, scalable approaches to sustainable fabrication for stage, screen and live events. Reset Scenery supports the Stage, Screen & Events sectors through reclaimed material redistribution, circular material management strategies and lower-impact construction approaches aligned with initiatives such as the Theatre Green Book. Simon and his co-founder, Matt Doolan are focusing on how to change the whole system – how best can they intervene or educate, and where in the system; how do they help people see the benefits, and make the circular option more affordable and accessible than the scenery that’s designed NOT to last. Simon explains some of the ways they embed circular principles directly into design and build processes — helping productions reduce embodied carbon, material waste and disposal costs without compromising technical standards. We’ll also hear about Reset Scenery’s circular design support for schools, helping build long-term skills and sector resilience through practical, hands-on sustainable practice.
    Más Menos
    39 m
  • 177 Dan Dicker: moving the dial on reusable cup systems

    177 Dan Dicker: moving the dial on reusable cup systems
    Mar 8 2026
    Dan Dicker is the founder and CEO of Circular&Co, a Cornwall-based Circular Design brand on a mission to eliminate single-use waste. With a background in product design and innovation, Dan has spent over 20 years championing circular economy principles, designing products and systems that keep materials in use for longer. Alongside consumer products, he leads Circular&Co’s work on reuse and returnable cup systems, partnering with venues, events and organisations to drive real-world change and deliver genuine environmental impact. Dan explains how Circular&Co’s design skills are creating reuse and returnable cup systems, which are breaking the mould by not requiring an app, or a deposit, and are achieving extremely high levels of reuse by being super-convenient for the cup users, for cafes and for the local community. We hear how the systems work across a range of use scenarios, and how Circular&Co are using rich data sets to design efficient and effective systems for logistics and cleaning, and to help potential clients make a compelling business case.
    Más Menos
    54 m
  • 176 Katie Allen – why healthy clothing starts with healthy soils

    176 Katie Allen – why healthy clothing starts with healthy soils
    Feb 22 2026
    Katie Allen, a regenerative farmer, maker and educator, who is creating healthy textiles, plant dyes and leathers and helping fashion students and others discover what soil health means for us, our food and our clothing. Katie Allen farms organically at Great Cotmarsh, in the UK. The farm produces lamb and beef in a 100% pastoral system and is implementing projects to improve soil health, increase biodiversity and embrace agroforestry. Under the brand ‘Katie Cotmarsh’, she creates award-winning knitwear using the fleeces from the flock and cultivates colour by growing plant dyes. Katie has developed a beautiful classroom space on the farm, to connect the future generation of designers with the story behind soil and give them a new perspective of what true circularity looks like, particularly in the face of an ever shifting climate and demand for new cradle-to-cradle models for fashion design. Katie tells us how she was first inspired by the Fibershed movement, and what it means to create a local, regenerative clothing supply-chain.
    Más Menos
    48 m
  • 175 Stephen Fitzpatrick: remanufacturing as a strategic capability

    175 Stephen Fitzpatrick: remanufacturing as a strategic capability
    Feb 8 2026
    Stephen Fitzpatrick is Director of the Digital Factory at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, based at the University of Strathclyde, and Director of the Remake Value Retention Centre, a new £10m initiative commissioned by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). A key focus of Stephen’s work is developing solutions that enable a circular economy, particularly in high-value, high-integrity sectors. ‘High-integrity sectors’ are industries that require strict adherence to safety and reliability standards, often because the potential consequences of failure are huge – we can think about aerospace, automotive, nuclear power, wind, and other industries where ensuring safety, performance and up-time is critical. Stephen believes that combining digital technologies with remanufacturing is crucial, both to maximise the life of existing products, and to support designing and manufacturing new products in a way that optimises circular opportunities and value. Stephen leads a multidisciplinary team of 75 engineers and scientists, specialising in Digital Manufacturing, Design Engineering, Additive and Repair Manufacturing, Robotics and Metrology Systems.
    Más Menos
    53 m
  • 174 Sydney Harris and Jennifer Carrigan of Upstream: effective, equitable reuse systems

    174 Sydney Harris and Jennifer Carrigan of Upstream: effective, equitable reuse systems
    Jan 25 2026
    We learn about driving change towards an effective, efficient and fair reuse economy, with Sydney Harris and Jennifer Carrigan of Upstream, a nonprofit that works to support sustainable, equitable reuse systems across North America. Upstream works to normalise reuse, to support the expansion of the reuse sector, and to help create supportive policy measures. It was founded over 20 years ago, and is seen as an early visionary, realising that reuse is better from an economic perspective as well as better for people and planet. Upstream works across industry sectors in the US and Canada.
    Más Menos
    37 m
  • 173 Giulio Bonazzi of Aquafil – pioneering regenerative nylon

    173 Giulio Bonazzi of Aquafil – pioneering regenerative nylon
    Jan 11 2026
    Giulio Bonazzi is the visionary leader of Aquafil, a global pioneer in circular materials including Econyl Regenerated Nylon. Giulio has been transforming Aquafil from a conventional manufacturer into a pioneer of circular design, and he tells us about the process of creating premium-quality polyamide from a wide range of nylon waste streams, including fishing nets, old carpets, and fabric scraps.
    Más Menos
    54 m
  • From the archives – episode 119 with Ken Webster: why we need to talk about the circular ECONOMY!

    From the archives – episode 119 with Ken Webster: why we need to talk about the circular ECONOMY!
    Dec 21 2025
    To close out 2025, I’d like to revisit a critical aspect that’s being ignored - the economy itself. Ken Webster is a leading thinker in the circular economy field, and one of his many roles is with Earth4All, where he has been exploring the benefits of a Universal Basic Dividend. Ken and Catherine discussed this, and more aspects of circularity at an economic level back in 2023, and it’s highly relevant today, as the challenges we face loom larger.
    Más Menos
    54 m