The Waste-Free World

How the Circular Economy Will Take Less, Make More, and Save the Planet

By: Ron Gonen

Narrated by: Dan Bittner

The next revolution in business will provide for a sustainable future, from founder, CEO and circular economy expert Ron Gonen

Our take-make-waste economy has cost consumers and taxpayers billions while cheating us out of a habitable planet. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The Waste-Free World makes a persuasive, forward-looking case for a circular economic model, a “closed-loop” system that wastes no natural resources. Entrepreneur, CEO and sustainability expert Ron Gonen argues that circularity is not only crucial for the planet but holds immense business opportunity.

As the founder of an investment firm focused on the circular economy, Gonen reveals brilliant innovations emerging worldwide— “smart” packaging, robotics that optimize recycling, nutrient rich fabrics, technologies that convert food waste into energy for your home, and many more. Drawing on his experience in technology, business, and city government and interviews with leading entrepreneurs and top companies, he introduces a vital and growing movement.

The Waste-Free World invites us all to take part in a sustainable and prosperous future where companies foster innovation, investors recognize long term value creation, and consumers can align their values with the products they buy.

Great history about our environmental problems

I really learned a lot about the history of some of the environmental problem we face today. Highly recommend it!

Environmentalism: sustainable AND profitable

An optimistic proposition for how rethinking our relationship with extraction and waste can make our world more sustainable and improve our quality of life.

A good update for Cradle to Cradle / Circular Econ

This is a great, very up to date (2021) book which covers the Cradle to Cradle and Circular Economy ideas over the last 20+ years.

It covers lots of ideas and examples and is a great companion to the book Cradle to Cradle or can be an alternative if you've not read that already.

The circular economy is about changing the way we make and use things. About making things to last longer but also be able to break apart into component elements.
It's an antidote to the population bomb issue because we won't be destroying the environment just living in a circular economy.

The book mentions Covid19 and other things that show it's only just been released.

I highly recommend this to anyone interested in a Post Scarcity Society (e.g RBE) or has watched the Zeitgeist movies (Addendum or Zeitgeist Moving Forward).

Easy to follow, hard hitting points.

Easy listen that keeps one’s attention while helping layout a pathway forward for each individual.

Rushed and shallow

The book felt like it was written in rush with a clear purpose to inform. It does not go in depth of the problems but is a good starter for the topic