What is a linear economy?

In a linear economy resources are extracted, transformed into products, and eventually disposed of after their use. This model follows a "take, make, waste" approach, where there is little consideration for the longevity of products or the potential for resource recovery. Instead, the focus is primarily on short-term consumption, leading to a linear flow of materials through the economy. Products are typically designed for single use or limited life spans, and very little effort is made to recover or reuse the materials once they are thrown away. As a result, linear economies are heavily dependent on constantly using new resources, while creating large amounts of waste.

In a linear economy, valuable resources are often wasted because products are not designed with their eventual disposal in mind. This leads to significant environmental challenges, including increased landfill waste, unnecessary extraction of raw materials, and heightened energy consumption. Not only does this contribute to pollution, but it also represents a lost opportunity to reuse these materials.