Towards the circular economy: A commentary on corporate approaches and challenges

The concept of the circular economy is gaining momentum within the business world, and it is seen as an important element in the transition to a more sustainable future. Circular economies are built around a range of activities that look to reduce the demand for raw material inputs and natural resources and to recover, recycle, and reuse those inputs and resources as an integral part of the production process. As such, the concept of the circular economy restorative and regenerative and is contrasted, by its proponents, with the traditional “linear economy” that turns raw materials into waste in the production process and that is seen to lead to environmental pollution and the removal of natural capital from the environment. This commentary paper outlines the characteristic features of the concept of the circular economy, outlines how a number of companies are adopting circular economy approaches, and offers some general reflections on the application of the concept.     

Suicide Risk in Emerging Adulthood: Associations with Screen Time over 10 years

Journal of Youth and Adolescence - Suicide rates have increased over the past decade, and screen media (and social media in particular) are often blamed for this marked increase. However, there is...     

Colluding victims: A public choice analysis of international alliances

Analysis of international alliances is often premised on predicted responses by nation states when nation states are assumed to behave as utility-maximising actors. ‘Large’ allies are exploited by ‘small’ allies when output is a public good. Empirical analysis of defence expenditures in NATO yields results consistent with the proposition that ‘exploitation’ increases as alliance output approximates a pure public good. But why would large countries acquiesce? A public choice analysis offers a different perspective. If producers of armaments are rent seeking, are large allies able to capture rent by incurring a disproportionate share of defence expenditure?