13 Sustainability Trends for 2015
by Justmeans
Guest Blog by Richard Mazzola, CEO/Founder, KarmaConnect
2015 will be a critical year for the progression of sustainability movements. As the United States prepares for a Presidential election in 2016, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) disseminates their Fifth assessment report and the United Nations urges new austerity measures for emissions we will see a significant shift in the way we talk about sustainability:
1. The Sustainable Shopper
Over the past 5 years consumers have increasingly become aware of a brand’s sustainability. But rising retail prices, high unemployment and uneasiness over their personal finances have made price point a top purchasing decision. As the US economy continues to rebound and brands begin to use sustainability as a competitive advantage, 2015 will be the year that the sustainability of a product erodes the importance of price point.
2. The Circular Economy
Pioneered by Ellen Macarthur, the circular economy takes the linear model of ‘take, make, dispose’ and transforms it by allowing retailers and manufactures to retain ownership of their products thus acting as service providers. They then sell the use of their products which allows them to dissemble and refurbish on an ongoing basis. The circular economy will flourish in 2015 as accessible resources needed for a linear model of production become increasingly scarce.
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Richard Mazzola is the CEO and Founder of KarmaConnect, a platform that rewards individuals who volunteer with discounts on major brands' goods and services.
