The Canadian Circular Economy Summit was many things all in one.

It was inspiring. It illuminated fantastic circular initiatives by passionate and committed individuals. From efforts to collaboratively grow regenerative and circular food systems[3] to the creation of mushroom and waste derived apple leather by MycoFutures[4] and Flaura[5].

It was grounding. There was important recognition that we are so far from where we need to be.

• “2024 was the hottest year on record and the first year in which annual average temperatures were higher than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels”[1]

• The Expert Panel on the Circular Economy in Canada estimated that only “6.1 per cent of materials entering the Canadian economy come from recycled sources”[2]. 

Most importantly for me, it reinforced that outcome-oriented problem solving can indeed enable us to build sustainable socially just solutions, economies, and societies.