The Circularity Gap Report 2026: Why We’re Only 6.9% Circular

Have you ever felt like you are meant to be doing something different, but you are not quite sure what? Caitlyn Socwell, Angelica Barrios and Said Fadyl spend this episode on curiosity mapping, a reflection exercise for finding the connections between everything you have ever been drawn to, and using it to figure out where you actually belong.Angelica introduces the exercise and its five sections: roots, sparks, paths, threads, connections, the door, and edges. Then all three hosts share their own results, including childhood memories, career pivots, and a few ambitions that had been quietly waiting for attention. Along the way they talk about why everyone has the capacity to be a polymath, the difference between a polymath and a generalist, and how following your curiosity can lead you into sustainability work even when you did not plan it that way.If this episode has you wanting to try it yourself, the group has put together a curiosity mapping resource you can download and work through at your own pace.Resources and links from this episodeThe Millennials Gone Circular Curiosity Map, a free downloadable resourceShaolin Spirit: The Way to Self-Mastery, by Shi Heng Yi, the book Said references for its two-question framework on finding where your energy and creative potential lieMillennials Gone Circular is a production of The Waste Not Spot. Follow along on Instagram and LinkedIn.

The world is only 6.9% circular, and the gap is costing us $25.4 trillion a year. Caitlyn Socwell just got back from the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform's 2026 annual conference, and she joins Angelica Barrios and Said Fadyl to unpack what she learned, from why circular business models keep getting stuck at the pilot stage to a new profession called the "circular transition broker."The conversation moves into the numbers behind the Circularity Gap Report 2026, including the new "value gap" measure and the five biggest ways the world is losing value: end-of-life waste, energy losses, and the deterioration of buildings, machinery and infrastructure. Along the way, Angelica introduces the Jevons paradox and a newer idea in sustainability science called "robustness," a shift away from predicting one future and toward designing for many possible ones, and the group talks about one real example of circular collaboration working: a coalition of cosmetics brands piloting reusable packaging through Circul'R. The episode closes with a mindset shift for listeners and a look ahead to the EU's upcoming Circular Economy Act.Resources and links from this episodeEuropean Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) Annual Conference 2026Circularity Gap Report 2026, Circle EconomyJevons paradox, explainedCircul'R, the coalition piloting reusable cosmetics packagingRobustness and uncertainty in sustainability science, an introduction to the frameworkThe EU Circular Economy Act, European Parliament legislative trackerMillennials Gone Circular is a production of The Waste Not Spot. Follow along on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Sara Beachy, our newest podcast editor, shares what she learned over 17 years in US refugee resettlement across Southeast Asia, from interviewing refugees in Thailand's nine camps to leading a 90-person program in Kuala Lumpur until the US refugee program was frozen in January 2025.Sara joins Caitlyn Socwell, Angelica Barrios and Said Fadyl to unpack who counts as a refugee under UNHCR, why only about 1% of the world's refugees are ever resettled, and what happened to roughly 25,000 people in Malaysia's resettlement pipeline when the program stopped. The conversation moves to climate displacement, whether funding adaptation is smarter than resettling people after the fact, and why borders are imaginary lines that ecosystems and wildfire smoke ignore.Sara also talks about her pivot into human rights due diligence and ethical supply chains with her new consultancy, Beachy Advisory Group, and leaves you with practical ways to help refugees and newcomers in your own community.Chapters00:00 Borders, wildfires and climate displacement02:08 From teaching English in Thailand to refugee resettlement in Malaysia06:13 When the US refugee program froze11:16 Refugee 101: who counts as a refugee20:06 Climate refugees and the missing legal framework33:32 Borders as imaginary lines42:11 Sara's pivot to human rights due diligence45:59 What you can do47:53 Pay-it-forward questionsResources and links from this episodeVolunteer with refugees, International Rescue CommitteeRefugee resettlement explained, UNHCRHow to sponsor a refugee in CanadaCommunity Refugee Sponsorship AustraliaInner Development GoalsThe overview effectConnect with Sara Beachy and follow Beachy Advisory Group on LinkedInMillennials Gone Circular is a production of The Waste Not Spot. Follow along on Instagram and LinkedIn.

What happens when a beach nuisance becomes a daily health and financial crisis you can't move away from?In this episode of Millennials Gone Circular, host Caitlyn Socwell sits down with Uriel Ilana, a water and hydraulics engineer who grew up in Martinique and spent years living just 700 meters from the Atlantic coast in Le François. Uriel shares what it's actually like to live with Sargassum — the massive brown seaweed blooms washing up across the Caribbean — beyond the headlines and the spreadsheets.In this episode:Why Sargassum smells like rotten eggs (hint: it's hydrogen sulfide gas)How the seaweed's gases turn silver jewelry black and corrode plumbing overnightWhy insurance won't cover electronics that fail every six months near the coastThe headaches and health symptoms of living with Sargassum in a closed roomWhat Martinique's communities and government are trying — sea barriers, task forces, and the money fights behind themWhy any real solution has to start with the people living the crisis, not just the technology or policyUriel's story is a reminder that the Sargassum crisis is first and foremost a human problem — and that the people most affected need to be part of designing the fix.The UN recently launched a global response: United Nations Global Seaweed Initiative.Follow the show for more circular economy and sustainability stories:🔗 Watch more from The Waste Not Spot🔗 Follow Millennials Gone Circular on InstagramNew episodes of Millennials Gone Circular drop regularly — subscribe so you don't miss the next one.

Your old phone might be worth more than you think — literally. E-waste is now the world's fastest-growing waste stream, and it's sitting on gold, copper, and the exact critical raw materials we need for the energy transition.In this episode, hosts Caitlyn Socwell, Angelica Barrios, and Said Fadyl sit down with Christine Nikander — environmental lawyer and founder of The E-Waste Column — to unpack what e-waste actually is, where it ends up, and why something containing gold can still be treated as rubbish.We cover:What actually counts as e-waste (it's not just phones and laptops — think electric toothbrushes, earbuds, solar panels, and the servers behind AI and data centers)Why e-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream on the planet, and the pathways your device takes after you drop it offCritical raw materials, conflict minerals, and the human rights issues baked into electronics supply chainsThe (frankly insane) economics that make virgin mining cheaper than recovering metals we've already dug upPlanned obsolescence, right-to-repair, and how AI and robotics are starting to change e-waste sorting and disassemblyThe one simple decision — where you drop off your dead electronics — that makes a real differenceResources & links mentioned in this episode:The E-Waste Column — Christine's hub for e-waste news, a 150+ module learning hub, and an upcoming e-waste podcast launching this autumnChristine Nikander on LinkedInClose the Gap — the digital inclusion organization referenced re: refurbished tech access in Uganda and KenyaHP × Mint Innovation's closed-loop recycled copper story — the "100% recycled copper laptop" example discussed in the episodeStockholm Resilience Centre — Planetary Boundaries — the framework referenced via Johan RockströmKarolinska Institute — referenced re: research on Sweden's move back to analog learning in schoolsFollow Millennials Gone Circular for more conversations on circularity, waste, and building a more sustainable world. If this one changed how you look at the electronics around you, share it with the person in your life with a suspiciously large drawer of old phones.Millennials Gone Circular is a production of The Waste Not Spot. Edited by Sara Beachy.

What if climate change is only one part of a much biggerplanetary problem?In this episode of Millennials Gone Circular, Caitlyn,Angelica and Said take a deep dive into the Planetary Boundaries framework—the scientific framework that helps us understand the environmental limits within which humanity can safely thrive.We unpack all nine planetary boundaries, including climatechange, biodiversity and biosphere integrity, land-system change, freshwater, biogeochemical flows, novel entities such as chemical pollution and plastics, ocean acidification, atmospheric aerosol loading, and stratospheric ozone depletion.We explore how the framework was developed, why theboundaries are interconnected, and what it means that seven of the nine planetary boundaries have now been transgressed.But this isn't an episode about doom.The recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer gives us animportant reason for hope: humanity has crossed a planetary boundary before and successfully changed course through science, policy, business action and international cooperation.We also explore Earth Overshoot Day, which in 2026 falls on July 30, and what it tells us about humanity's consumption of the Earth's renewableresources.And most importantly, we ask: What can we actually do aboutit?From reducing overconsumption and supporting circularproducts and services, to changing business models, transforming supply chains,setting science-based targets and influencing policy, there are actionsavailable at the individual, business and systemic levels.Resources mentioned in this episode🌍 Planetary HealthCheck / Planetary BoundariesExplore the latest science and the current status of all nine planetaryboundaries:Planetary Health Check – Planetary Boundaries🌎 Earth Overshoot DayLearn how humanity's Ecological Footprint compares with Earth's biocapacity andexplore ways to #MoveTheDate:Earth Overshoot Day🌱 Science BasedTargets initiative (SBTi)Learn how companies can set science-based targets to reduce their environmentalimpact and align corporate action with climate science:Science Based Targets initiative📚 Sea Sick: OceanChange and the Extinction of Life on Earth – Alanna MitchellMentioned during our discussion of ocean acidification, carbon dioxideabsorption and ocean dead zones:Sea Sick – Alanna MitchellThe episode also references our earlier conversation about Sustainable Living with Tomas Slany so check this episode out for practical ideas on making sustainability part of everyday life.And remember Jane Goodall's powerful reminder:“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decidewhat kind of difference you want to make.”Planetary boundaries may sound overwhelming, but they areultimately about understanding where we are putting pressure on Earth'slife-support systems—and recognizing that we still have opportunities to changecourse.If you enjoyed this episode, follow Millennials GoneCircular, leave us a rating or review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.Millennials Gone Circular is a production of The WasteNot Spot.Let's keep making circularity a reality. 

Are carbon credits actually helping the planet, or are they just another form of greenwashing?In Part 2 of our Carbon Credits series, we unpack one of the most debated topics in sustainability. We explore why carbon credits have developed a controversial reputation, what separates high-quality projects from ineffective ones, and whether buying carbon offsets for your flights or personal emissions actually makes a difference.Our hosts, Caitlyn, Said and Angelica, discuss how companies use carbon credits, where consumers should be cautious, and why transparency, accountability, and stronger regulations are reshaping the voluntary carbon market.We also look ahead at where the industry is heading, including the rise of blue carbon projects, AI-powered monitoring, and the technologies helping improve trust in climate action.In this episode we discuss:✅ Why carbon credits are often associated with greenwashing✅ The biggest problems with low-quality carbon credits✅ Double counting and why transparency matters✅ Should you pay to offset your flights?✅ Consumer responsibility vs corporate responsibility✅ Why older carbon credits are worth less than newer ones✅ The future of carbon markets✅ Blue Carbon projects and coastal ecosystem restoration✅ AI, satellite monitoring and digital MRV (Monitoring, Reporting & Verification)✅ What businesses and consumers should know before purchasing carbon creditsResources MentionedIntegrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM)https://icvcm.org(Core Carbon Principles (CCPs))Monitoring, Reporting & Verification (MRV)https://ghgprotocol.orgCarbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)https://taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu/carbon-border-adjustment-mechanism_enBlue Carbon Initiativehttps://www.thebluecarboninitiative.orgPlanetary Boundaries Frameworkhttps://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html

What happens when sustainability professionals pause for a moment and ask: “Are we really making progress?”In this reflective and surprisingly hopeful episode of Millennials Gone Circular, hosts Caitlyn Socwell, Angelica Barrios and Said Fadyl look back on the lessons, challenges and unexpected insights from 2025, while exploring what they believe is coming next for circularity and sustainability in 2026.From “grounded hope” and survival positivism, to AI, circular value chains, impact reporting and the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act, this episode dives into the realities of working in sustainability without losing sight of the progress humanity has made.The trio explores:Why hope is more than optimism, it’s a survival mechanismHow sustainability is shifting from strategy decks into operational realityThe rise of circular value chains and digital product passportsWhy impact reporting and measurable outcomes matter more than everHow AI could either disconnect us from nature, or help reconnect us to itWhy younger generations are returning to practical life skills and lower-consumption lifestylesThe changing future of funding, grants and sustainability investmentWhat the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act could mean for businessesThis is a thoughtful, grounded and refreshingly human conversation about where we’ve been, where we’re headed, and why progress often happens more quietly than we realise.Because yes, the world feels messy right now. But there are still plenty of reasons to keep going.Key takeawaysProgress is rarely linear, but systems can change over timeSustainability implementation is moving from ambition to operationalisationCircularity is becoming a business requirement, not a “nice-to-have”Hope is not passive, it’s something we actively build and practiceMeasuring and communicating impact is becoming essential for organisations seeking funding and trustResources & References MentionedFix The NewsHope Is A Verb PodcastUnited Nations Recognition of the Right to a Healthy EnvironmentEU Circular Economy Action PlanEU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products RegulationDigital Product Passport OverviewConnect with usFollow Millennials Gone Circular for more conversations unpacking sustainability and circularity in a practical, relatable and globally minded way.Instagram: @millennialsgonecircularProduced by The Waste Not SpotListener ChallengeGo and find one piece of good news about sustainability, circularity, climate action or social progress this week.Curate your feed with intention. Ground yourself in hope. Then keep going.

In Part 1 of our two-part series, the Millennials GoneCircular team breaks down one of sustainability's most debated topics: carboncredits and carbon offsets.Join Caitlyn, Said, and Angelica as they explore thedifference between carbon credits and offsets, compliance vs. voluntary carbonmarkets, avoidance vs. removal credits, the origins of carbon markets under theKyoto Protocol, and the key principles behind high-quality carbon credits, includingadditionality, permanence, verification, and more.We also examine recent research questioning theeffectiveness of many carbon credits and discuss why the future is shiftingtoward high-integrity carbon removals.Whether you're new to sustainability or work in ESG, thisepisode gives you a practical foundation for understanding one of climateaction's most important and controversial tools.🎧 Stay tuned for Part 2,where we answer listener questions and dive deeper into the future of carbonmarkets.Resources mentioned in this episodeCooking the Climate Books - https://carbonmarketwatch.org/tag/redd/Standards & Organizations MentionedVerra – Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/Gold Standardhttps://www.goldstandard.org/Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)https://sciencebasedtargets.org/Kyoto Protocol (United Nations Climate Change)https://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol

What do you do when the world feels heavy, sustainability feels exhausting, and your nervous system is politely requesting a full software update?In this raw and reflective “jump on the mic” episode, Caitlyn, Angelica and Said have an honest conversation about climate anxiety, sustainability fatigue, geopolitics, identity, hope, and what it means to keep caring when everything feels unstable.We talk about where sustainability fits in times of conflict, why hope needs to be grounded in reality, how community can help us stay steady, and why small actions still matter, even when the world feels far too big to fix.This episode is less polished, more human, and very much a “grab a tea and breathe with us” kind of conversation.Inner Development GoalsThe Overview Effect: NASA explains it as the shift astronauts can experience when seeing Earth from space.  Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan: NASA’s Voyager 1 image of Earth from 14 February 1990.  Robbers Cave Experiment: a classic social psychology study on group identity, conflict and cooperation.  "The real problem of humanity is the following: We have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and godlike technology." - Edward O. Wilson