By Suci Lestari Yuana and Maria Josefina Figueroa
Photo: IGPA community workshop with natural paint.
In the pursuit of a sustainable future, the adoption of Circular Economy (CE) principles has become increasingly imperative. However, despite its theoretical emphasis, the practical integration of CE into daily activities remains a challenge. Our research project focuses on mainstreaming CE education through the agency of schools, aiming to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
The Circular School Program Partnership, which introduces the Indonesia Green Principal Award (IGPA), is a trimester initiative coordinated by the Centre for World Trade Studies (CWTS) at Universitas Gadjah Mada and JBI Education Consulting. Its primary objective is to advocate for circular economy principles within the realms of elementary, junior high, and high school education. This program addresses the urgent environmental challenges and economic development requirements in Indonesia. By centering on the shift from linear to circular economy mindsets, the initiative invites school principals as catalysts for change, empowering them to instill sustainable practices in their educational institutions. Emphasizing collaboration in circular economy efforts among academia, industry, government, and society, the program fosters networks, and synergies to progress towards a circular society. Having been gradually implemented over nearly two years, the IGPA program blends competition and mentoring to actively engage participants. Through raising awareness and championing circular economy principles, the initiative aims to establish a network of committed school principals dedicated to fostering transformative change for a sustainable future.
Unveiling Mundane Circular Economy Policy: A Paradigm Shift in School Practices
Our study involved engaging school principals and staff across Java to understand how schools participate in the Circular Economy. Through insightful conversations and observations, we delved into how these institutions integrate the 5R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Redesign) and CE into their daily education activities.
Schools, as colossal entities with substantial resource consumption, play a crucial role in shaping sustainable practices. CE principles enable schools to transform waste into valuable assets, such as creating art installations from discarded materials. Despite the increasing prioritization of CE, there exists a disparity between theory and implementation, as highlighted in previous studies.
Our study introduces the Mundane Circular Economy Policy (MCEP), a concept that bridges the gap between CE principles and everyday practices. MCEP translates CE principles into practical actions applicable in various contexts, emphasizing the incorporation of CE into everyday life activities. This concept extends beyond schools and can be applied in companies, organizations, and government institutions.
Mapping the Path to Sustainability: Tools and Findings from the Field
Photo: IGPA community workshop on circular waste management
We invited alumni of the Indonesian Green Principal Awards (IGPA) to participate in our workshop, employing Multi-Criteria Mapping (MCM) Analysis and Transformative Outcomes Tools. This resulted in three key findings: Mundane Circular School Decision Mapping, Mundane Decision Prioritization Mapping, and Transformative Pathways for Mundane Circular School Transition. The map can be accessed here:
The Mundane Circular School Decision Mapping compiles circular economy decisions tailored to schools’ needs, providing a guide to translate 5R principles into actionable and implementable school programs at the everyday level. The map can be accessed here:
Evaluating various CE programs, the Mundane Decision Prioritization Mapping identifies short-term implementation priorities, creating a roadmap for schools to prioritize and implement circular practices aligned with their unique contexts and resources.
Presented as an onion ring model, the Transformative Pathways for Mundane Circular School Transition outlines step-by-step processes to realize circular schools, emphasizing transformative pathways for sustainable change.
Beyond the Classroom: MCEP’s Ripple Effect on Institutions and Beyond
Photo: IGPA community workshop in co-creating the Mundane Circular Economy Policy
In this exploration of Mundane Circular Economy Policy (MCEP) and its integration into schools, our research journey has unveiled not only the potential within educational institutions but also the ripple effects that extend beyond the classroom walls. As we conclude this discourse, several key insights gleaned from our study and the subsequent evaluation workshop stand out, emphasizing the transformative change catalyzed by the Indonesia Green Principal Award (IGPA) program.
The collaborative outcomes observed among IGPA program participants emphasize the potential for creating a transformative community of practice. Principals actively engage in discussions, exchange knowledge, and plan collaborative projects, extending the workshop’s impact. The IGPA program, acting as a knowledge platform, not only imparts valuable insights into circular economy principles but also fosters ongoing dialogue and collaborative initiatives among educators. Our commitment to transformative change involves nurturing a community of practice for sustainable development, recognizing the power of evaluation for critical reflection and continuous improvement. By fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing, we aim to drive innovation and create a meaningful impact both locally and beyond.
Moving forward, our research team remains dedicated to implementing Mundane Circular Economy Policy tools in our ongoing initiatives and extending these tools to our peers. Collaborative research projects, workshops, seminars, and knowledge-sharing initiatives will form the foundation of our community-building efforts. Through engagement with the TIP community and leveraging existing networks, we aim to inspire and empower others to drive transformative change in their respective domains.
In conclusion, our research sheds light on the transformative potential of Mundane Circular Economy Policy in schools, emphasizing the importance of integrating CE principles into everyday practices. By sharing our findings, we hope to inspire educators, policymakers, and institutions to embrace sustainable practices, contributing to a circular and resilient future.
Suci Lestari Yuana, a lecturer at Universitas Gadjah Mada, specializes in circular economy and sustainability transitions. Completing her PhD in June 2024 at Utrecht University, her research focuses on digital platform innovation and sustainability transition in Indonesia. Suci founded STAIR Community Indonesia and serves as Managing Editor of the Global South Review journal, advocating for sustainable practices and scholarly discourse on the circular economy. She also leads the Mundane Circular Economy Policy research, a collaborative project between UGM and Copenhagen Business School.
Maria Josefina Figueroa, an Associate Professor at Copenhagen Business School, Department of Management Society and Communication. Specializes in Energy, Climate, and Sustainability Transitions. Her research intersects scholarship from sustainability science, comparative social impact assessments of climate mitigation action, the impact of sectoral climate policies, business practices, and partnerships, emphasizing just energy transition and sustainable development with an emphasis on emerging economies, vulnerable populations, and urban areas. Among other engagements Maria has two times participated as lead author of the IPCC Assessment Report (AR), in 2022 IPCC AR6; and 2015 AR5, and contributed to the Special Report 1.5. in 2018.
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