Ideas worth spreading

How to make sure materials get reused — again and again

906,273 views |

Garry Cooper |

TED2023

• April 2023

What if we could harness the power and value of all that we discard? Circular economy builder Garry Cooper presents a compelling vision for transforming cities into sustainable, circular economies, citing real-world examples of how repurposing materials from buildings to office furniture can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs and foster economic growth. A hopeful reminder of the profound impact individual actions can have on our shared future.

What if we could harness the power and value of all that we discard? Circular economy builder Garry Cooper presents a compelling vision for transforming cities into sustainable, circular economies, citing real-world examples of how repurposing materials from buildings to office furniture can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs and foster economic growth. A hopeful reminder of the profound impact individual actions can have on our shared future.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Rheaply’s free-to-join Circular Cities initiative connects all the players in the built environment, so you can reclaim the revenue all around you. Learn more about how your city can participate.

What if we lived in a world of circularity that transformed our myriad of stuff into valuable resources through reuse? Learn more about how Rheaply is closing the loop on our linear economy.

About the speaker

Garry Cooper

Circular economy builder

See speaker profile

Garry Cooper uses technology to help organizations ensure the materials they no longer need get reused — again and again.

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This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Rheaply’s free-to-join Circular Cities initiative connects all the players in the built environment, so you can reclaim the revenue all around you. Learn more about how your city can participate.

What if we lived in a world of circularity that transformed our myriad of stuff into valuable resources through reuse? Learn more about how Rheaply is closing the loop on our linear economy.