Yeah. I’m Jos and I’m working on research in circular economy and automotive sector, and I would like to know your point of view. If you accept, I’m going to record our conversation, transcribe it and put the transcription with a pseudonym, not your real name, of course, in a repository of text documents that will be used for the research. If you do this and you change your mind later and no longer want to participate, get in touch with us and we will immediately remove your interview from the repository. I’m leaving you the information sheet with contact information, so please give me your name and if you agree.
Yes, I’m okay with that. I’m Valerie Genopter.
Thank you, Valerie. So the first question, can you define a circular economy in your own words? What is that?
It’s an economy where people work and consume stuff in which is not. It’s difficult in English, which is not linear. So things materials will stay in use for a long time and in the end, like get back to the soil and become new plants. So it’s nothing goes to waste, to waste. Yes.
How did you become interested in the circular economy, ideas and practices?
I think I got interested as a child already. We were we had our own foundation, which my brothers and sisters. We did some circus numbers to get money and bought rainforest. As a product designer Circular economy is really interesting to me and I think it’s a big chance and a challenge for design to do things better. We as we can do things better, but we need a good briefing for that. Yes.
In your opinion, can a circular economy be implemented in individual sectors or industries.
Like what You mean with individual.
Individual, just little sectors or separately?
Separately? Yeah. It’s difficult because everything goes together. I think we have just to start everywhere. So it will be an individual places to start but to work well on. I think it’s a change of mindset. So yeah.
Do you think the circular economy already exists, for example, in the car industry?
I know that. I mean you have car leasing or well, or maybe also sharing. So product as a service, I don’t know how much it is modular. So you can like adapt to needs. I think it’s thought a bit like that because it’s just too expensive I think, to build every chassis for its own. So in some parts maybe yes. At the same time car industry could like take a step back further back to redefine what is individual moving movement. Yes. So everyone, one person of 60-80 kilos in a tons weight car is definitely not very circular or good for the planet, I think.
Yeah. You told me that you don’t own a car, but did you use a car as a car sharing or rental car in your vacations or something like that?
Yes. Yes. I can use the car of my parents. I also can use the camper of my parents. So I know that sometimes it’s really practical to have one. I do need it and I’m happy that I’m able to drive a car just to be more independent. We also have or my my friend, she has a car sharing mobility ticket, but we don’t use it often. Yeah.
What do you think at first? What comes in your mind when you think about car electronics?
I think first, just to make it electronic will not solve the whole problem. Yes, it still uses too much space. And I think, yes, car industries or like mobility should think of new concepts than everyone to have its own car. Yeah. Just make it electric.
Yes. In your opinion, are the cars that include electronic components easier or harder to adapt to circular economy principles than regular cars?
Hard to say, I think. Well, I like about the old fashioned ones that you see what is happening inside and you just can change a part, maybe on your own. Even. I did not only have good experiences with these electric cars and like park somewhere and it didn’t work anymore, or you couldn’t look back anymore because it just the mirror didn’t get out or stuff like that. So I’m a bit skeptic about that. But yes, I, I hope there is another way also. Yeah.
What do you think? What can the automotive industry do to promote circular economy?
Um, to promote circular economy. I mean they could like more, not have people have other business models. Like people not owning the cars like maybe do let’s designer make smaller cars for if somebody really needs to go somewhere by car. I think yes, this sharing models could be a good option. And yeah it also will have consequences on how cars look like and who they partner up with. And I think, yeah, this could be also a good selling point, like being the one who is most circular. Yes.