Consumer-Centric Circularity: Conscious Changes in Lifestyle Towards a New Normal

Abstract

AbstractIn the final chapter, we take a closer look at the role that consumers play in the transition to the CE. Ultimately, consumers must be willing to buy sustainable circular products over those products that have a single lifecycle. The CE can receive great impulses even from a single person or a small group of people as we have shown in the repair café and iFixit case studies. This can cause a ripple effect that can quickly reach millions of people all over the world. It is up to governments to spread awareness amongst their citizens, so they become responsible consumers, and play a role as one of the largest consumers in their own economy as well. We look at the city of Rotterdam for a collection of cases, specifically looking at several consumer initiatives and how the city has been improving its own consumption since governments are big consumers themselves. We end the chapter, and the book, by looking at the circularity gap and revisiting what has been discussed in this book regarding closing this gap.