IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i6p3157-d516316.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Envisioning a Circular Economy: The Journey of One Mid-Sized Midwestern City

Author

Listed:
  • Jennifer Petoskey

    (Department of Public Works, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA)

  • Missy Stults

    (Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

  • Eileen Naples

    (Department of Public Works, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA)

  • Galen Hardy

    (Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

  • Alicia Quilici

    (Department of Public Works, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA)

  • Cassie Byerly

    (Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

  • Amelia Clark

    (Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

  • Deja Newton

    (Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

  • Elizabeth Santiago

    (Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

  • Jack Teener

    (Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

Abstract

The City of Ann Arbor has committed to a just and equitable transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030. Our guiding plan, A 2 ZERO, outlines seven strategies and 44 actions that were chosen by the community to achieve this goal. One of the seven strategies is “Changing the Way We Use, Reuse, and Dispose of Materials”, including the action: “move toward a circular economy”. Many cities are trying to move towards a circular economy, tailoring policies, actions, and outreach towards their unique circumstances. Regardless of context, becoming circular requires an array of actions including collaboration and partnership, policy setting, program development, and education. This paper explores how the concept of the circular economy is discussed in the peer reviewed literature and in practitioner circles, exploring similarities and differences. Following this, we undertake a critical instance case study on the City of Ann Arbor’s materials management programs and efforts towards achieving a more circular local economy. We conclude by offering pathways that Ann Arbor and other cities across the U.S. can pursue to advance a circular economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer Petoskey & Missy Stults & Eileen Naples & Galen Hardy & Alicia Quilici & Cassie Byerly & Amelia Clark & Deja Newton & Elizabeth Santiago & Jack Teener, 2021. "Envisioning a Circular Economy: The Journey of One Mid-Sized Midwestern City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:6:p:3157-:d:516316
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/6/3157/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/6/3157/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. de Vries, Bert J.M. & Petersen, Arthur C., 2009. "Conceptualizing sustainable development: An assessment methodology connecting values, knowledge, worldviews and scenarios," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 1006-1019, February.
    2. Jonathan M. Cullen, 2017. "Circular Economy: Theoretical Benchmark or Perpetual Motion Machine?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 483-486, June.
    3. Julie Marin & Bruno De Meulder, 2018. "Interpreting Circularity. Circular City Representations Concealing Transition Drivers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-24, April.
    4. Julie Marin & Luc Alaerts & Karel Van Acker, 2020. "A Materials Bank for Circular Leuven: How to Monitor ‘Messy’ Circular City Transition Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Sierra C. Woodruff & Missy Stults, 2016. "Numerous strategies but limited implementation guidance in US local adaptation plans," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(8), pages 796-802, August.
    6. Fenna Blomsma & Geraldine Brennan, 2017. "The Emergence of Circular Economy: A New Framing Around Prolonging Resource Productivity," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 603-614, June.
    7. World Commission on Environment and Development,, 1987. "Our Common Future," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192820808.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    2. Aodhan Newsholme & Pauline Deutz & Julia Affolderbach & Rupert J. Baumgartner, 2022. "Negotiating Stakeholder Relationships in a Regional Circular Economy: Discourse Analysis of Multi-scalar Policies and Company Statements from the North of England," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    3. Concepción Garcés-Ayerbe & Pilar Rivera-Torres & Inés Suárez-Perales & Dante I. Leyva-de la Hiz, 2019. "Is It Possible to Change from a Linear to a Circular Economy? An Overview of Opportunities and Barriers for European Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Companies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Andrea Cecchin & Roberta Salomone & Pauline Deutz & Andrea Raggi & Laura Cutaia, 2021. "What Is in a Name? The Rising Star of the Circular Economy as a Resource-Related Concept for Sustainable Development," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    5. Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar & Shauhrat S. Chopra, 2022. "Leveraging Blockchain and Smart Contract Technologies to Overcome Circular Economy Implementation Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, August.
    6. Arru, Brunella & Furesi, Roberto & Pulina, Pietro & Sau, Paola & Madau, Fabio A., 2022. "The Circular Economy in the Agri-food system: A Performance Measurement of European Countries," Economia agro-alimentare / Food Economy, Italian Society of Agri-food Economics/Società Italiana di Economia Agro-Alimentare (SIEA), vol. 24(2), September.
    7. Elena Simina Lakatos & Mircea Florentin Vlad & Roxana Lavinia Pacurariu & Andrea Szilagyi & Doris Cadar, 2021. "A New, Consonant Approach of Circular Economy Based on the Conservation of the Fundamental Scalars of Physics," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    8. Hervé Corvellec & Alison F. Stowell & Nils Johansson, 2022. "Critiques of the circular economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(2), pages 421-432, April.
    9. Carmen Avilés-Palacios & Ana Rodríguez-Olalla, 2021. "The Sustainability of Waste Management Models in Circular Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, June.
    10. Erik Roos Lindgreen & Roberta Salomone & Tatiana Reyes, 2020. "A Critical Review of Academic Approaches, Methods and Tools to Assess Circular Economy at the Micro Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-27, June.
    11. Fenna Blomsma & Mike Tennant & Ritsuko Ozaki, 2023. "Making sense of circular economy: Understanding the progression from idea to action," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(3), pages 1059-1084, March.
    12. Philipp Schäfer & Mario Schmidt, 2021. "Model-based analysis of the limits of recycling for its contribution to climate change mitigation [Modellgestützte Analyse der Grenzen des Beitrags von Recycling zum Klimaschutz]," NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 65-75, June.
    13. Rauschmayer, Felix & Bauler, Tom & Schäpke, Niko, 2013. "Towards a governance of sustainability transitions: Giving place to individuals," UFZ Discussion Papers 17/2013, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    14. Kristoffersen, Eivind & Mikalef, Patrick & Blomsma, Fenna & Li, Jingyue, 2021. "Towards a business analytics capability for the circular economy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    15. Roxana Lavinia Pacurariu & Sorin Daniel Vatca & Elena Simina Lakatos & Laura Bacali & Mircea Vlad, 2021. "A Critical Review of EU Key Indicators for the Transition to the Circular Economy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-19, August.
    16. Okechukwu Okorie & Konstantinos Salonitis & Fiona Charnley & Mariale Moreno & Christopher Turner & Ashutosh Tiwari, 2018. "Digitisation and the Circular Economy: A Review of Current Research and Future Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-31, November.
    17. Ngan, Sue Lin & How, Bing Shen & Teng, Sin Yong & Promentilla, Michael Angelo B. & Yatim, Puan & Er, Ah Choy & Lam, Hon Loong, 2019. "Prioritization of sustainability indicators for promoting the circular economy: The case of developing countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 314-331.
    18. Christoph P. Kiefer & Pablo del Río & Javier Carrillo‐Hermosilla, 2021. "On the contribution of eco‐innovation features to a circular economy: A microlevel quantitative approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 1531-1547, May.
    19. Bebbington, Jan & Larrinaga, Carlos, 2014. "Accounting and sustainable development: An exploration," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 395-413.
    20. Ngan, Sue Lin & How, Bing Shen & Teng, Sin Yong & Promentilla, Michael Angelo B. & Yatim, Puan & Er, Ah Choy & Lam, Hon Loong, 2019. "Prioritization of sustainability indicators for promoting the circular economy: The case of developing countries," MPRA Paper 95450, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 01 Jun 2019.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:6:p:3157-:d:516316. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.