World record-breaking sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur has spent a lot of time on the high seas, she reveals how these experiences sparked a revelation about how to manage finite resources on our planet. Hear why she’s optimistic about transitioning to a circular economy, a system where we dramatically reduce waste and pollution

Published on Jun 23, 2015

Published on Nov 6, 2015

02 September 2010 - The Science Museum in London, a showcase of the most world-changing innovations in modern times, was the venue for Ellen MacArthur to announce the launch of her new Foundation, which is calling for people to 're-think, re-design and build a sustainable future'. Uploaded on Sep 7, 2010

Ellen takes us on a journey to investigates how insights from living systems might offer some of the answers to how we can re-design our future, in a world of increasing finite materials and energy.

Sustainability: Newscaster Jon Snow talks to Dame Ellen MacArthur about the circular economy and rethinking the future, in a short film looking back on the first year of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Challenging Ellen on the fundamental principles of the Foundation’s mission – to inspire a generation to re-think and re-design for a positive future – Jon investigates the circular economy as a framework for change and questions the actual implementation and impact of such a model on business.

With over 5 years of research and a full year of the Foundation under her belt, Dame Ellen is well placed to handle these testing questions and to make a strong case for the circular economy framework.

The circular economy is a different business model. It’s a different way of looking at the system as a whole. We know our future doesn’t work long term, but within a circular economy it does.

There's a world of opportunity to re-think and re-design the way we make stuff.

'Re-Thinking Progress' explores how through a change in perspective we can re-design the way our economy works - designing products that can be 'made to be made again' and powering the system with renewable energy. It questions whether with creativity and innovation we can build a restorative economy.

Find out more about the circular economy at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and follow them on Twitter.

For an in-depth look at the economic and business rationale for making this transition, see the Towards the Circular Economy reports, available on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation website.