Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach
About this Course
Do you want to contribute to a more sustainable society? Tackle the challenges in the transition towards a circular economy? In this course you will analyse what it takes to create a circular economy including sustainable supply chains. The transition towards a circular economy is one of the biggest challenges in order to create a more sustainable society. This transition requires circular thinking and an interdisciplinary approach, combining socio-technical, managerial, and environmental considerations. Right now we design products from cradle to grave: from production to consumption to waste, which is a linear model. But we should design products from cradle to cradle: in a closed loop whereby they don't become waste, but valuable resources again. And when we start thinking in circles, we might as well try to reinvent not just supply chains, but entire systems. Because that's what we have been doing with sustainability: we have been departing from the status quo, while cradle to cradle and circular pushes us to think outside the box. Cradle to Cradle celebrates abundance; it recognizes that people, just like ants and trees, are abundant and have a large impact on their environment. The challenge is to make this impact a positive one and we invite you to join this challenge! In the MOOC Circular Economy: An Interdisciplinary Approach, we therefore take a systems approach to the circular economy, considering different stakeholder perspectives, their incentive structures, and their impact on circular alternatives. The circular solutions will be assessed by using applied, as well as emerging, technologies. You will learn how to use life cycle assessment and agent-based modelling to assess the socio-technical and manageable challenges and environmental benefits of alternative solutions. Join the MicroMasters Program This MOOC is part of two MicroMasters Programs, Economics and Policies for a Circular Bio-Economy and Business and Operations for a Circular Bio-Economy. Both programmes prepare you for the transition from fossil to renewable, biobased resources and consist of 3 courses and a final project; the capstone: Economics and Policies in a Biobased Economy or Business Strategy and Operations in a Biobased Economy From Fossil Resources to Biomass: a Chemistry Perspective Capstone Economics and Policies for a Circular Bio-Economy or Capstone Business and Operations for a Circular Bio-EconomyCreated by: Wageningen University & Research
Level: Advanced
Related Online Courses
Spaceflight is exciting, and you don’t have to be a “Rocket Scientist” to share in the excitement! 16.00x makes the basics of spaceflight accessible to everyone. Join MIT Professor Jeffrey Hoffm... more
Maintaining and troubleshooting sophisticated medical instruments is not an easy task. In order to deliver effective care, the technician requires the knowledge of different aspects of biology and... more
El curso en línea trata la teoría básica de dispositivos semiconductores en corriente directa y alterna. Un sólido conocimiento de esta teoría es clave para diseñar todo tipo de sistemas elect... more
Tourism and climate change, inextricably connected From global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions to ecosystem change and loss of biodiversity, from excessive precipitation to extreme... more
La Universidad Galileo junto con el Programa Energías Renovables y Eficiencia Energética (4E) en Centroamérica que implementa la GIZ, desarrolló este curso con el objetivo de promover la “Di... more