News Students Explore The Circular Economy 30.04.2024

Collyer’s second year Environmental Science students recently welcomed leading experts Claire Potter (Senior Lecturer of Product Design at Sussex University) and Elle Runton (Sussex Green Living) who ran a fantastically inspiring session on the circular economy.

Dr Ian Carr, Collyer’s Assistant Director of Faculty for Science, Head of Geology, and Sustainability Co-ordinator, said: “For the third year running, the students were joined by Elle Runton for an explanation of the concept of the circular economy. Elle presented an incredibly engaging and informative session on why it is essential that we move from the linear to the circular economy. She used her experience from working for multinational companies such as Coca Cola and the World Wildlife Fund in the middle east to share her knowledge and enthusiasm for the topic.

This year Elle was joined for the first time by Claire Potter, Senior Lecturer of Product Design at Sussex University.

Dr Carr explained: “Having given an online presentation during Green Week to several colleges, Claire joined us in person and explored impressive examples of how the circular economy was being adopted by designers. She showed exciting developments that designers were pursuing, including reusing materials to make skateboards, data storage units and how industries such as fishing were adapting to the need to be circular.

“The circular economy is a topic within the Sustainability unit of Environmental Science and the presentations were a fantastic way to round off the taught part of the course!”