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Article

Envisioning a Circular Economy: The Journey of One Mid-Sized Midwestern City

1
Department of Public Works, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA
2
Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Antonio Boggia
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3157; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063157
Received: 30 January 2021 / Revised: 24 February 2021 / Accepted: 4 March 2021 / Published: 13 March 2021
The City of Ann Arbor has committed to a just and equitable transition to community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030. Our guiding plan, A2ZERO, outlines seven strategies and 44 actions that were chosen by the community to achieve this goal. One of the seven strategies is “Changing the Way We Use, Reuse, and Dispose of Materials”, including the action: “move toward a circular economy”. Many cities are trying to move towards a circular economy, tailoring policies, actions, and outreach towards their unique circumstances. Regardless of context, becoming circular requires an array of actions including collaboration and partnership, policy setting, program development, and education. This paper explores how the concept of the circular economy is discussed in the peer reviewed literature and in practitioner circles, exploring similarities and differences. Following this, we undertake a critical instance case study on the City of Ann Arbor’s materials management programs and efforts towards achieving a more circular local economy. We conclude by offering pathways that Ann Arbor and other cities across the U.S. can pursue to advance a circular economy. View Full-Text
Keywords: circular economy; materials management; zero waste; solid waste; environment; life cycle thinking; sustainability; system change circular economy; materials management; zero waste; solid waste; environment; life cycle thinking; sustainability; system change
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MDPI and ACS Style

Petoskey, J.; Stults, M.; Naples, E.; Hardy, G.; Quilici, A.; Byerly, C.; Clark, A.; Newton, D.; Santiago, E.; Teener, J. Envisioning a Circular Economy: The Journey of One Mid-Sized Midwestern City. Sustainability 2021, 13, 3157. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063157

AMA Style

Petoskey J, Stults M, Naples E, Hardy G, Quilici A, Byerly C, Clark A, Newton D, Santiago E, Teener J. Envisioning a Circular Economy: The Journey of One Mid-Sized Midwestern City. Sustainability. 2021; 13(6):3157. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063157

Chicago/Turabian Style

Petoskey, Jennifer, Missy Stults, Eileen Naples, Galen Hardy, Alicia Quilici, Cassie Byerly, Amelia Clark, Deja Newton, Elizabeth Santiago, and Jack Teener. 2021. "Envisioning a Circular Economy: The Journey of One Mid-Sized Midwestern City" Sustainability 13, no. 6: 3157. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063157

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