Circular Economy Podcast

This is the 2nd part of my conversation with Tom Llewellyn of Shareable, an organization that collaborates with others to imagine, resource, network, and scale cooperative projects. We hear about Shareable’s How-To Guides, which cover a vast range of topics from how to reduce food waste to starting mutual aid funds, and Tom explains how sharing initiatives are starting to be included in city and local government policies. And Tom offers his top tips for how we can get started with sharing and other initiatives, to improve our resilience and build stronger communities. If you didn’t catch the first episode, head back to that if you’d like to hear why Shareable has pivoted from storytelling to focus on supporting groups to replicate successful sharing solutions, what Tom sees as the key challenges around sharing, and the importance of storytelling – including the misleading narratives used by most of the media, and how these undermine our resilience. International speaker, author and strategic advisor, Catherine Weetman helps people discover why circular, regenerative and fair solutions are better for people, planet – and prosperity. Catherine’s award-winning book: A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business includes lots of practical examples and tips on getting started.  Stay in touch for free insights and updates…  Read on for more on our guest and links to the people, organisations and other resources we mention. Links for our guest: Shareable’s website: https://www.shareable.net/ Shareable on social media: https://www.facebook.com/Shareable   https://twitter.com/shareable   https://www.instagram.com/shareable_gram/   https://bsky.app/profile/share-able.bsky.social   https://www.linkedin.com/company/shareable/   https://www.youtube.com/@ShareableNet Guest bio Tom Llewellyn is the Executive Director of Shareable, an organization that collaborates with organizers and allies to imagine, resource, network, and scale cooperative projects. He helps communities develop Libraries of Things (LoTs)—low-cost, environmentally friendly social infrastructure that enables people to meet their material needs. Tom’s current work includes expanding these sharing initiatives into housing developments, universities, and post-disaster recovery areas. He also serves as executive producer and host of the award-winning documentary film and podcast series The Response, producer of the Cities@Tufts Podcast, and communications lead for the Rural Power Coalition. A dynamic speaker, Tom has presented at more than 200 events across five continents. He is the co-editor and author of several influential publications, including Sharing Cities: Activating the Urban Commons (2018), The Response: Building Collective Resilience in the Wake of Disasters (2019), and Lessons from the First Wave: Resilience in the Age of COVID-19 (2020). He has co-founded several community- and sharing-based initiatives, including: A PLACE for Sustainable Living, Asheville Tool Library, REAL Cooperative (Regenerative Education, Action & Leadership), and the worker collective Critter Cafe. Tom currently lives in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, in Amah Mutsun Tribal Band territory, with his wife, Ellie, where they’re rejuvenating an old Boy Scout Camp into a community hub. Shareable collaborates with organizers and allies to imagine, resource, network, and scale cooperative projects. We envision a just, connected, and joyful world where sharing is daily practice and communities flourish. Shareable’s organizing work is currently focused on: Sharing Hubs & Infrastructure – We’re working to establish sharing hubs like Libraries of Things in every community. Whether it is a simple how-to guide; our comprehensive Library of Things Toolkit; incubating the Tool Library Alliance; or partnerships to scale Libraries of Things in universities and affordable housing, we’re developing useful tools so every community can create infrastructure for sharing. Mutual Aid – We’re working to build capacity and to network mutual aid projects across the US and around the world. Whether it is our popular how-to guides; sharing stories on our podcast The Response; our ongoing Mutual Aid 101 learning series and toolkit; or partnerships to build capacity for mutual aid disaster resilience, we’re developing resources and networks to build communities of care. Co-op Sector – We’re working to support and strengthen democratic, community-controlled cooperative businesses and organizations. Whether it is educational partnerships like the Social Co-op Academy; piloting food assistance co-ops; fighting to modernize and democratize local electric co-op utilities, the second largest co-op sector in the US; or restructuring our own organization as a worker self-directed nonprofit, we’re shifting the narrative toward cooperative governance. Shareable continues to publish articles, podcasts, and how-to guides that amplify the people and ideas shaping a world where sharing is a daily practice and communities flourish. Please let us know what you think of the podcast – and we’d love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts.  Or send us an email… Click here to search for previous episodes

We discuss the importance of sharing and its many benefits with Tom Llewellyn, the Executive Director of Shareable, which collaborates with others to imagine, resource, network, and scale cooperative projects. Tom helps communities develop Libraries of Things (LoTs) and other forms of low-cost, environmentally friendly social infrastructure that help people meet their material needs. Tom’s current work includes expanding these sharing initiatives into housing developments, universities, and post-disaster recovery areas. He also serves as executive producer and host of the award-winning documentary film and podcast series The Response, producer of the Cities@Tufts Podcast, and communications lead for the Rural Power Coalition. Tom has co-founded several community- and sharing-based initiatives, including: A PLACE for Sustainable Living, Asheville Tool Library, REAL Cooperative (Regenerative Education, Action & Leadership), and the worker collective Critter Cafe. Shareable wants to see a just, connected, and joyful world where sharing is daily practice and communities flourish. Its current focus is on sharing hubs & infrastructure, Mutual Aid projects, and supporting and strengthening democratic, community-controlled cooperative businesses and organizations. We covered a lot, and so the conversation is split into two episodes. In Part 1, we hear why Shareable has pivoted from storytelling to engagement and support for groups to replicate successful sharing solutions. We discuss some of the key challenges and barriers to sharing, and what we can gain from sharing and other forms of mutual support We talk about a few different types of sharing initiatives, including community infrastructure projects. Tom explains the importance of storytelling, particularly in the context of disasters, and how the media often uses narratives that undermine our natural resilience and willingness to support each other. In Part 2 (available now), we cover the How To Guides, which cover a vast range of topics from how to reduce food waste to starting mutual aid funds, and Tom’s tips on how to get things started. You can hear my takeaways at the end of each section. International speaker, author and strategic advisor, Catherine Weetman helps people discover why circular, regenerative and fair solutions are better for people, planet – and prosperity. Catherine’s award-winning book: A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business includes lots of practical examples and tips on getting started.  Stay in touch for free insights and updates…  Read on for more on our guest and links to the people, organisations and other resources we mention.  Don’t forget, you can subscribe to the podcast series on iTunes, Google Podcasts, PlayerFM, Spotify, TuneIn, or search for “circular economy” in your favourite podcast app.  Stay in touch to get free insights and updates, direct to your inbox… You can also use our interactive, searchable podcast index to find episodes by sector, by region or by circular strategy. Plus, there is now a regular Circular Economy Podcast newsletter, so you get the latest episode show notes and links delivered to your inbox on Sunday morning, each fortnight. The newsletter includes a link to the episode page on our website, with an audio player. You can subscribe by clicking this link to update your preferences. Links we mention in the episode: Links for our guest: Shareable’s website: https://www.shareable.net/ Shareable on social media: https://www.facebook.com/Shareable   https://twitter.com/shareable   https://www.instagram.com/shareable_gram/   https://bsky.app/profile/share-able.bsky.social   https://www.linkedin.com/company/shareable/   https://www.youtube.com/@ShareableNet Books, people and organisations we mentioned Episode 154 Loic Le Fouest of Clarasys: creating circular customer experiences https://www.rethinkglobal.info/154-loic-le-fouest-of-clarasys-designing-circular-customer-experiences/ Rutger Bregman, historian and best-selling author is this year’s BBC Radio 4 Reith lecturer. Titled Moral Revolution, the lectures will delve into the current ‘age of immorality’, explore a growing trend for unseriousness among elites, and ask how we can follow history’s example and assemble small, committed groups to spark positive change. The Reith Lectures are available on your favourite podcast app, more info here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/v78MKsCWHxw0l0PwMn4R0R/bbc-reith-lectures-2025-moral-revolution Rutger Bregman, author of Humankind and others books: https://rutgerbregman.com/ Guest bio Tom Llewellyn is the Executive Director of Shareable, an organization that collaborates with organizers and allies to imagine, resource, network, and scale cooperative projects. He helps communities develop Libraries of Things (LoTs)—low-cost, environmentally friendly social infrastructure that enables people to meet their material needs. Tom’s current work includes expanding these sharing initiatives into housing developments, universities, and post-disaster recovery areas. He also serves as executive producer and host of the award-winning documentary film and podcast series The Response, producer of the Cities@Tufts Podcast, and communications lead for the Rural Power Coalition. A dynamic speaker, Tom has presented at more than 200 events across five continents. He is the co-editor and author of several influential publications, including Sharing Cities: Activating the Urban Commons (2018), The Response: Building Collective Resilience in the Wake of Disasters (2019), and Lessons from the First Wave: Resilience in the Age of COVID-19 (2020). He has co-founded several community- and sharing-based initiatives, including: A PLACE for Sustainable Living, Asheville Tool Library, REAL Cooperative (Regenerative Education, Action & Leadership), and the worker collective Critter Cafe. Tom currently lives in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, in Amah Mutsun Tribal Band territory, with his wife, Ellie, where they’re rejuvenating an old Boy Scout Camp into a community hub. Shareable collaborates with organizers and allies to imagine, resource, network, and scale cooperative projects. We envision a just, connected, and joyful world where sharing is daily practice and communities flourish. Shareable’s organizing work is currently focused on: Sharing Hubs & Infrastructure – We’re working to establish sharing hubs like Libraries of Things in every community. Whether it is a simple how-to guide; our comprehensive Library of Things Toolkit; incubating the Tool Library Alliance; or partnerships to scale Libraries of Things in universities and affordable housing, we’re developing useful tools so every community can create infrastructure for sharing. Mutual Aid – We’re working to build capacity and to network mutual aid projects across the US and around the world. Whether it is our popular how-to guides; sharing stories on our podcast The Response; our ongoing Mutual Aid 101 learning series and toolkit; or partnerships to build capacity for mutual aid disaster resilience, we’re developing resources and networks to build communities of care. Co-op Sector – We’re working to support and strengthen democratic, community-controlled cooperative businesses and organizations. Whether it is educational partnerships like the Social Co-op Academy; piloting food assistance co-ops; fighting to modernize and democratize local electric co-op utilities, the second largest co-op sector in the US; or restructuring our own organization as a worker self-directed nonprofit, we’re shifting the narrative toward cooperative governance. Shareable continues to publish articles, podcasts, and how-to guides that amplify the people and ideas shaping a world where sharing is a daily practice and communities flourish. Please let us know what you think of the podcast – and we’d love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts.  Or send us an email… Click here to search for previous episodes

Dr. Patrick Schröder, a senior research fellow at Chatham House, assesses the progress and barriers for circular economy policymaking. Patrick Schröder specializes in the circular economy, climate change, resource governance, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). His work brings together science, policy, and media to help further evidence-based policies, communicate complex sustainability issues, and promote equitable governance solutions at the multilateral level. Patrick is currently the Coordinating Lead Author for one of the three working groups for the IPCC Assessment Report 7, reporting on Mitigation of Climate Change, and he is also the Coordinating Lead Author for the UN Global Environment Outlook 7. Patrick holds a PhD in Environmental Studies, and is now studying part-time for a second PhD in circular and regenerative design with the Centre for Sustainable Design. In 2024, UNIDO and Chatham House published a ground-breaking global stocktake of 75 national circular economy roadmaps featuring more than 2,800 policy actions. The first roadmap, from Japan, was published in 1999, and since 2016, as governments strive to accelerate their circular transitions, over 70 countries have published national circular economy roadmaps and strategies. The review aims to ‘bridge knowledge gaps and shed light on critical aspects of these publications’, and the authors point to a ‘significant lack of focus on the need to ensure a just and inclusive’ transition, warning that a ‘lack of recognition of the need to work collaboratively with the global community’ risks derailing a global just transition. Patrick tells us how he currently sees the global state of play for circular economy policies and roadmaps, where progress is happening and from a policymaking perspective, what is holding it back. The team at Chatham House have created a micro-site – circulareconomy.earth – and Patrick tells us more about that, and how we can use it. Stay in touch for free insights and updates…  Read on for more on our guest and links to the people, organisations and other resources we mention. Links we mention in the episode: Links for our guest: DISCOUNT CODE for A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business https://www.koganpage.com/CircEcon3 buy direct from the publisher Kogan Page, which ships worldwide (free shipping to UK and US) and you can use discount code KOGANPAGE25 for 25% off the book. This offer also applies to Kogan Page’s bundle option (print plus e-book for the same price as the print edition).  Read more about the book and download the Introduction: circulareconomyhandbook.com Read more about Patrick Schröder: https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/patrick-schroder Patrick Schröder’s publications on Google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=xeaCha8AAAAJ&hl=en Patrick Schröder on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-schr%C3%B6der-b5789119/?originalSubdomain=uk The circular economy global policy microsite: circulareconomy.earth Books, people and organisations we mentioned The Chatham House paper launched during the Summit of the Future in NY:https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/09/how-circular-economy-can-revive-sustainable-development-goals Patrick’s paper on the SDGs and Circular Economy in the Journal of Industrial Ecology: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patrick-Schroeder-9/publication/344220320_The_Relevance_of_Circular_Economy_Practices_to_the_Sustainable_Development_Goals/links/5f85b316458515b7cf7c9143/The-Relevance-of-Circular-Economy-Practices-to-the-Sustainable-Development-Goals.pdf Human Development and Circular Economy paper (co-authored by Patrick Shroeder with Peter Desmond and Alex Lemile): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344920300082 The Lancet Countdown on health and plastics https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01447-3/abstract Episode 166 Circularity Gap Report 2025: insights https://www.rethinkglobal.info/166-circularity-gap-report-2025-insights/   Episode 119 Ken Webster: the circular ECONOMY https://www.rethinkglobal.info/119-ken-webster-the-circular-economy/ Episode 119 Bonus Ken Webster: the circular ECONOMY! Part 2 https://www.rethinkglobal.info/119-bonus-ken-webster-the-circular-economy-part-2/ Guest bio Patrick Schröder is a senior research fellow at Chatham House. He specializes in the circular economy, climate change, resource governance, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  He works at the intersection of science, policy, and media to advance evidence-based policies, communicate complex sustainability issues, and promote equitable governance solutions at the multilateral level. He currently serves as Coordinating Lead Author for the IPCC Assessment Report 7 (WG III – Mitigation) and Coordinating Lead Author for the UN Global Environment Outlook 7. He holds a PhD in Environmental Studies from Victoria University of Wellington, NZ, and currently studies part-time for a second PhD in circular and regenerative design with the Centre for Sustainable Design. Chatham House – The Royal Institute of International Affairs – is a world-leading policy institute based in London, dedicated to helping governments and societies build a sustainably secure, prosperous, and just world. The Environment and Society Centre (ESC) at Chatham House examines how environmental change intersects with global economics, politics, and society. Its work focuses on advancing systemic solutions to address climate change, resource governance, and accelerate circular economy transitions — fostering dialogue and evidence-based strategies that align environmental sustainability with social equity and geopolitical realities. Please let us know what you think of the podcast – and we’d love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts.  Or send us an email… Search for previous episodes….

Author Catherine Weetman unpacks the new edition of A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business, giving you a preview of the big changes and new insights. The new, 3rd edition was published  by Kogan Page in paperback and e-book format on 3 November 2025, and the print edition for the US and Canada is out on the 25th of November 2025. The book aims to help people get clearer on how successful companies are finding ways to do better with less – in other words, creating value without pumping yet more resources through ever-growing systems of production and consumption. Use the discount code in the shownotes to get 25% off, with free worldwide shipping. Stay in touch for free insights and updates…  Read on for links to the people, organisations and other resources we mention. Links we mention in the episode: DISCOUNT CODE for A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business https://www.koganpage.com/CircEcon3 buy direct from the publisher Kogan Page, which ships worldwide (free shipping to UK and US) and you can use discount code KOGANPAGE25 for 25% off the book. This offer also applies to Kogan Page’s bundle option (print plus e-book for the same price as the print edition).  Read more about the book and download the Introduction on Catherine’s website: Blog – Reclaiming our ‘compass’ – values work as liberation, Elsie Rodriques, Common Cause Foundation: https://commoncausefoundation.org/reclaiming-our-compass-values-work-as-liberation/ 82 Maria Westerbos – Plastic Soup Foundation- Maria Westerbos founded the Plastic Soup Foundation to raise awareness about the health risks from plastic in everyday products, and how we can switch away from it. Episode 82 107 Sian Sutherland – plastic is last century’s material- Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet, says plastic is last century’s material. Solutions platform PlasticFree.com empowers us to replace it. Episode 107 108 Sian Sutherland (part 2) fixing plastics can fix so much else – Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet, says we can reinvent a happier, healthier future: by fixing plastics, we can fix so much else – Episode 108 126 Ruth Taylor: closing our circular values gap – Ruth Taylor of the Common Cause Foundation explains how our personal values drive behaviour, and what that means for the circular economy transition – episode 126 154 Loic Le Fouest of Clarasys: creating circular customer experiences – Loic Le Fouest, an expert in Customer Experience at Clarasys tackles customer engagement – a key challenge for circularity. Episode 154 155 Martin Tomitsch and Steve Baty: Life-centred design – Martin Tomitsch and Steve Baty, authors of Designing Tomorrow, explain why we need to shift towards life-centred and strategic design. Episode 155 162 Rachel Bronstein and Barry Waddilove: The Design Council’s Skills for Planet – Rachel Bronstein and Barry Waddilove tell us about the Design Council’s Design for Planet initiative and Skills for Planet mission. Episode 162  Catherine Weetman International speaker, author and host of the Circular Economy Podcast, helping people discover how we can create a better future with circular, regenerative and fair solutions. Read more… Please let us know what you think of the podcast – and we’d love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts.  Or send us an email… Search for previous episodes….

Bailey Bestul explains how imaginative reuse of architectural components can create exciting, unique and inspiring buildings. Bailey is a registered architect, researcher and author based in New York City. His book, Reuse of Architectural Components, published by Routledge, was inspired by Bailey’s extensive research throughout Europe after he was awarded a Fulbright grant by the Netherland-America Foundation. Bailey holds a Master of Architecture from Woodbury University, where he graduated top of his class and was awarded the AIA Medal for Academic Excellence. He has worked in design firms in Minnesota, California and New York, and has completed residential and commercial projects throughout Southern California. His company, post-Architecture, specializes in residential and small-scale commercial projects across the United States. Bailey’s work has been featured in Dezeen, Forbes, the LA Times, Yahoo! News, DAMN Magazine and on The Design Network. Bailey talks us through the 3 sections of the book, covering Planning Strategies, Assembly Techniques and Finishing. Each section has 3 themes for each section, with some intriguing chapter headings, such as Palliative architecture, thick architecture, and Dirty, icky, yucky architecture, and we hear a bit about each of those. The book is full of examples, both modern and historical, many of which are from highly respected architectural practices around the world. Bailey draws on reuse practices from different cultures and contexts, too, including the Japanese art of Kintsugi. We discuss how architects, constructors and building owners are getting on board with circularity and reuse, and what might be getting in the way of ambitious circular approaches, and ask what architects, building owners and planners can do to help raise awareness of the benefits of reuse. Stay in touch for free insights and updates…  Read on for more on our guest and links to the people, organisations and other resources we mention. Links we mention in the episode: Links for our guest: Bailey Bestul’s book: Reuse of Architectural Components https://www.routledge.com/Reuse-of-Architectural-Components/Bestul/p/book/9781032841182 Bailey Bestul’s website: https://www.post-arch.com/ Bailey Bestul on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/baileybestul/ Books, people and organisations we mentioned Kogan Page is offering an exclusive extra discount on pre-orders for the new, completely revised and updated edition of A Circular Economy Handbook: How to Build a More Resilient, Competitive and Sustainable Business.  The new (third) edition will be out on 3rd November and to get 30% off, you need to use the discount code PUBMON30, and order by 2nd November 2025 – here’s the link: https://www.koganpage.com/CircEcon3.   Please let us know what you think of the podcast – and we’d love it if you could leave us a review on iTunes, or wherever you find your podcasts.  Or send us an email… Click here to search for previous episodes….