75 minutes + big-picture thinking
This week we’re exploring:
- How ideas grow from small to massive
- The scaling journey: Pilot → Replication → Integration → Systemic
- Barriers to scaling and how to overcome them
- Global examples (Netherlands, Costa Rica, Kenya, Ellen MacArthur)
- What systemic change actually looks like
💡 Words with dotted underlines are defined in the Glossary
The Scaling Journey
How do ideas go from one neighborhood to everywhere? In stages. Here’s the journey:
🧪 Stage 1: Pilot
Start small. One Repair Cafe in one neighborhood. One zero waste shop. Prove it works. Learn. Adjust.
Key: Build proof. Gather data. Make it repeatable.
📋 Stage 2: Replication
Copy the model to other places. Repair Cafes in every suburb. Zero waste shops spreading. More people involved. Network effects start happening.
Key: Make it easy to replicate. Have playbooks. Train people.
🔧 Stage 3: Integration
The idea becomes standard. Repair is expected, not surprising. Zero waste shopping is normal. Businesses adapt. Government supports it.
Key: Shift culture. Make it the default choice.
🏛️ Stage 4: Systemic Change
Policy changes. Infrastructure is built around it. Laws incentivize it. The economic system itself changes.
Key: Permanent change. Circular economy becomes how the system works.
Barriers to Scaling (& How to Fix Them)
💰 Barrier: Cost
Problem: Circular products often cost more upfront. Solution: Show total cost over time (repair costs less than replace). Get government subsidies. Build economy of scale.
⏱️ Barrier: Convenience
Problem: Circular choices take effort (bring containers, find repair cafe). Solution: Build infrastructure (more shops, pickup services). Make it easy.
🏪 Barrier: Market Demand
Problem: Not enough demand for circular products. Solution: Community demand. Government procurement (buy circular). Corporate commitments.
🌍 Barrier: Culture
Problem: “New” is valued. “Used” is cheap. Solution: Stories. Social proof. Visible change. Make circular cool.
🏗️ Barrier: Infrastructure
Problem: Systems built for linear (disposal, long shipping). Solution: Build circular infrastructure (collection systems, processing, local production).
Global Examples (It’s Already Happening)
🇳🇱 Netherlands
Leading circular economy adoption. Circular business models in major industries. Government support and policy.
🌍 Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Founded by sailor Ellen MacArthur. Influence on major brands. Circular economy at corporate scale. Proof it works globally.
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Regenerative agriculture at scale. Tourism model based on nature conservation. Circular thinking in small economy.
🇰🇪 Kenya
Innovation in circular materials (plastic bottles to bags). Community-driven circular solutions in developing economy. Proof it’s possible everywhere.
⚡ Your Challenge This Week
Sketch a VISION for systemic change in Tasmania.
Imagine it’s 2035. Circular economy is normal. What does that look like?
- What policy changes happened?
- What infrastructure got built?
- How do people shop, work, live differently?
- What’s your role in getting there?
Write it or draw it. Make it vivid. This vision is your north star for week 6.
💭 Have a Think
- Which barrier is biggest for you? How could you help overcome it?
- What global example inspires you most?
- What’s one policy change you’d want to see in Tasmania?
Systemic change doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people envision it, demand it, and build it.
Week 5 done! 🎉Next: Week 6 (Your Action Plan) →
Circular Tasmania 