So my name is 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 would. I am going to record our conversation, transcribe it and put to transcription with a pseudonym, not with your real name in a repository of text documents that will be used for the research. If we do this and you change your mind later and no longer want to want to participate, get in touch with us and we will immediately remove your interview from the repository. I’m leaving you an information sheet with contact information. If you agree, then please tell me your first name and that you agree.
Okay. My name is Caitlin. Caitlin and I agree.
Thank you Caitlin. So the first question, can you define a circular economy in your own words?
So circular economy. To me, I think of the two different streams. So I think of the technological and the biological and I think of trying to minimize waste and trying to also reduce resources, resource use as well. So in the end, it’s about, yeah, reducing the amount of resources that we’re using and being more efficient.
Yeah, do you participate in a circular economy yourself in any aspect of your life?
So circular economy in my life. Let me think. Well actually, so I try and for example clothing, I try and buy secondhand clothing and I also share clothing with my friends. Um, in terms of food. Like I try and do as much composting and things at home. And in terms of reducing resource use, I don’t own a car and I don’t drive.
Yeah. How did you become interested in circular economy ideas and practices?
So, so I’m Australian and then in 2019 they had these horrific fires in Australia. And then after that I started thinking, okay, something has to change because yeah, the world is not getting any better. Yeah. And I think that the only way is really through reducing resource use and trying to be more efficient to circular economy.
Yep. In your opinion, can a circular economy be implemented in individual sectors or industries?
Yes, I think so, definitely. So for example, I think that a lot of industries should now have so identify the materials that they’re using in their products. And with that information, there can be, you know, easier recycling methods and so on, perhaps like better collection methods. I think in terms of those two cycles, sometimes it can be easier to recycle within your own industry in a way, rather than getting it all messed up together and then trying to sort it afterwards. Yeah.
Uh, do you think the circular economy already exists in the car industry?
In the car industry? I’m not all that familiar with, but I really don’t think so. So in terms of a lot of products that I think that they use in their cars and their vehicles, there are a lot of composite materials that are very difficult to disassemble and so on. In terms I know there’s a lot of research in battery recycling, but I think that there’s still a lot of progress that needs to be made in that sector. So I think that they’re definitely moving towards it, but I don’t think it’s quite achieved yet.
Yeah, you told me that you have never owned a car. Are you sharing the cars?
so. No. At the moment I like to cycle everywhere. And in Berlin it’s actually very it’s nice in Berlin. You can do that. In Australia. I had a car or I actually had a scooter. So again, I tried to minimize, um, but yeah, I think living in a city that’s so well connected, you might as well take advantage of that.
Yeah, okay. Maybe you know it. What when is the one adjective that comes to mind when you think about electronics in a car?
One thing that comes to mind. Well, actually, the first thing that comes to mind, I think of, well, comfort. And then also, um, well, I guess self-driving capabilities. That’s kind of what I think of. Yeah. Yeah.
In your opinion, are cars that include electronic components easier or harder to adapt to circular economy principles than regular car?
Um, I think, I think well. I think that it really depends. So it depends on the way that things are manufactured and it really depends. So for example, with some electronics, all the wires and everything are soldered on. So kind of like making it very hard to be able to replace certain parts and to recover certain materials and so on. So I think that, yeah, it really depends on how it’s manufactured and whether the thought is put into it at the beginning.
What do you think? What can the automotive industry do to promote circular economy?
Um, so I think a lot of the time it’s just she can’t listen to the manufacturing and. Sorry, ask the question again. I got distracted.