02.2021 Circular Society? An invitation to the forum

Every child knows today: We are a throwaway society. Although we have been trying to perfect waste management, invent environmental regulations and preach producer responsibility for almost 40 years. Too often consumers are blamed for their consumption style, which is based on the principle of “take, make, waste”. In addition, there is the invisible enemy, the rebound effect, which keeps us buying new products, always believing that the new is better than the old: it uses less energy and is better for the climate. This phenomenon becomes visible when products break after the manufacturer’s guarantee date, which is called an obsolescence strategy. And it means that manufacturers intentionally design disposable products. The producer responsibility is therefore not taken.

And in the end, the whole of society is forced to go along the throw-away path.

Who can correct the sick throw-away phenomenon? The answer to this question is existential. Reason enough to deal with this phenomenon in the social design lab of the Hans Sauer Foundation.

The central statement of the social design lab is: Following the circular economy principles from the producer’s perspective alone is not enough as a sustainability strategy. Consumers have to come back too. This means that the circular economy can only take place with a socio-political continuity that is operated equally by producers and consumers.

The path could then lead to a circular society, i.e. the opposite of the throwaway society. As the name suggests, the path leads to a circular society. The members of the social design lab want to discuss how this can be done in a joint forum. And the forum should also become a place where ideas, visions and knowledge about the Circular Society can be exchanged. Interested parties are cordially invited.

Your way to the „Circular Society Forum“.

Registration to the Forum  22. – 25. Februar 2021.

Program