Circular Economy and hopeful realism

Prof. Edson Grandisoli

Do you ever feel like time is passing faster and faster?  

Historian Yuval Harari, in an interview, stated that every generation has this perception of accelerating change. But now, he says, it’s true.  

In addition to rapid change, one of the main characteristics of modernity is uncertainty. Harari explores uncertainty deeply in his books, especially in 21 Lessons for the 21st Century. For him, uncertainty is one of the most challenging and unavoidable traits, as rapid technological, social, and climate changes make the future increasingly unpredictable.  

In times of uncertainty, even major actions can feel small in the face of collective challenges. It’s natural to feel helpless, imagining that the multiple socio-environmental crises have no solution—an unstoppable avalanche.  

But stop and reflect: if you’re aware of the multiple social and environmental crises, it already shows that something has changed recently. In other words, more people are recognizing the existence of a collective, serious problem and understanding the importance of seeking solutions. This growing socio-environmental awareness is an extremely positive outcome, stemming from efforts to better understand the scale of our footprint on the planet. We can now affirm that we understand the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. It’s self-destructive, as the saying goes.  

Exhausting the foundation of all life is not sustainable. At this point, we can’t even afford to say “in the long term.” As a response to this reality, the Circular Economy model emerges as an alternative that offers a breath of fresh air to the planet and life itself. This extra time becomes increasingly important for creating technological alternatives and, more importantly, for slowly realizing that we need to change who we are and how we do things.  

The Circular Economy is not just a concept; it’s a mindset shift inviting us to see the world through more integrated lenses. It creates new opportunities for socio-economic development by mimicking the processes nature has carried out long before humans arrived as a species. Instead of extracting, using, and discarding—as the linear economy taught us—the Circular Economy invites us to rethink, reduce, reuse, and regenerate. And, why not, to breathe.  

For those who feel their individual actions are insufficient, that they’re powerless against the complexity of socio-environmental issues, the Circular Economy delivers a powerful message: each of us plays a fundamental role in this change. The circularity of societies depends on shared responsibility and the creation and recreation of bonds of cooperation and trust. Without these, we’ll continue to move in a straight line.  

The pact for circularity is irreversible. Just look at the growing number of companies, governments, NGOs, and citizens interested in thinking and acting differently in the present, with an eye toward the future. In Brazil, public policies are taking shape and serving as models for many other countries. After all, there’s no point in being circular alone. This is not an idealistic vision but a practical and urgent necessity to ensure that our planet and future generations have the chance to make choices and thrive on paths they select—not on what’s left over.  

Living in a time of transitions and paradigm shifts is not easy for anyone. We’re always looking forward but with eyes in the rearview mirror. For this, we need courageous partners who share the desire for the new—and for it to be better for more people. 

In moments of discouragement, when faced with so many challenges, I often recall and lean on the brilliance of the “middle path” proposed by the poet Ariano Suassuna. He said: “The optimist is a fool, the pessimist is a bore. It’s best to be a hopeful realist.”