What can the automotive industry do to promote circular economy in your opinion.
Oh, that’s a that’s a tricky one. I have a strong opinion on that. I’m not a big fan of cars myself. I don’t have one and use them only when when I need it. Uh, but. I think the like, business drives and economical drives for, for the car industry are very much in odds with, with circular economy. So I don’t expect anyone to do anything about that or out of their own interest. So if, if they will be to, to do something to, to promote circular economy, they will be rethinking the, the whole business model, I think. So that’s in very, very brief. And I know automotive market expert. That’s just my personal opinion. And yeah. But rethinking the the whole business model of buying, selling cars, getting new ones and reselling the old ones and yeah, so so that’s that’s the current current business model is in circular in any way besides wheels, of course.
And they do don’t do it already is your opinion. Yeah.
Yes. I think the current like reuse model is selling high end cars to like, uh, less resourceful people. It’s the like. Quote unquote circularity. And I was a few years ago on a trip in like, Middle Asia, and they were driving cars from like 30 years back with shattered windshields and, like, rusty parts. And they were reusing what seemed to be a waste for us. But it’s not circular. We are just pushing the waste. Out of our side. So it’s not like when you come to a conclusion that your car is not operating anymore. So you can give it back to to the manufacturer and they extract the, the parts, the materials that are still perfectly serviceable. So that would be a circular economy. Right. And and from what I know, that’s not happening anywhere in the world. So yeah.
You told me that you are not owning a car. Did you own a car formerly?
No, I never did. And it’s a conscious decision, like with environment in mind. It’s also pretty efficient, like budget wise. So. So the public transportation is, is quite sufficient if you at least if you’re living in a city, in a smaller towns or in the countryside, perhaps that’s not the case. And that’s also the case that the public transportation outside the big cities is not as as developed as it used to be, because I remember from like few decades back, it was more developed and it’s shrinking and shrinking ever since.
So and you are not car sharing or rental car using?
Yes. If I have a need for a car, I either ask some of my friends and do we have like a group of people that we are agreeing to share costs among ourselves. But also I’m using this car sharing services. They are very great. So like when I’m going to like a week vacation, uh, in the in the countryside, I’m renting a car and it costs me a few hundred like zloty. Yeah. Polish zloty. And it’s just this cost. And if I’d have a car for myself, I will pay this cost monthly. So. So that’s that’s also very efficient. Yeah.
What personal or professional experience have you had with electronics in cars you have used?
A very limited I’m using like of course the all sensors that we are having in in the modern cars these days and probably the, the audio system for uh, playing music or playing audiobooks is a very, very important if you have if you’re driving with a little kid. So they have something to to listen to all the way. So so that’s most of it.
Uh, do you have concerns about privacy and personal data stored in car electronics when you use a car?
I try to set up, for example, my phone when I’m connecting it to to the car so that as little data is transferred to the car. So I think I do my best and accept the potential risks.
Um, are there general concerns about privacy in thinking about circular economy practice?
Uh, like I am? I am concerned with that. Yes. I think I think we as like humanity are still having a long way to go to, to be there. Uh, but I’m trying to do my part. Uh, I don’t know if that’s enough to, like, make things, uh, sustainable in time. Uh, so you can label me as concerned. But at the same time, I think if we are doing what we can with the time we have, like, and the conditions we like came into, uh, like, there’s no need to, like, worry. But that’s certainly a drive for me.
Uh, does recycling and reusing mean different things to you?
Yes, absolutely. Recycling? Yeah. When you. Take the product and remade it. Remake it. Reshape the materials and so on. And reusing is, is when you like, fix things that get broken and can be used in the same application once more.
On a scale of 1 to 5, one means not at all concerned and five means extremely concerned. How concerned are you about issues of environmental waste and pollution?
Five.
Explain, please.
Yes, I that’s just something that like I keep thinking about. I don’t see my personal opportunity to to do more than just like daily routine parts and including that including that in my professional work. But yeah, I’m it’s very important to me.