Over the past several months, youth employees from Environment and Climate Change Canada have been working behind the scenes to bring WCEF2021 to life! Here’s why they’re passionate about the circular economy and the World Circular Economy Forum 2021.
Miya Morris
Policy Analyst, Strategic Policy Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada
How do you contribute to the circular economy in your work and your daily life?
Like many people, the ways I engage in circularity in my personal life tend to be convenient and economically prudent (for example, car sharing, buying and exchanging used goods, repurposing and repairing instead of buying new). This is why I think that making circular choices easy is key to mainstreaming circularity. In my work as speaker coordinator for the WCEF2021, I have the honour of convening experts from across the globe to identify the most important next steps in driving an ambitious and equitable circular transition. I hope that the conversations we facilitate will inspire leadership to enact systemic change, in turn allowing individuals and small businesses to make their lives and work more circular.
YiLin Zhao
Project Coordinator at WCEF2021 and 4th year Political Science student at the University of Ottawa
What is your role on the WCEF2021 team and what have you learned about the circular economy by working on the forum?
I am a project coordinator at WCEF2021 working in stakeholder engagement and outreach. I also have the pleasure of leading our youth outreach efforts, where I work to promote WCEF2021 and the circular economy to youth audiences across the country. As a young person who is completely new to the circular economy dialogue, the most striking thing I’ve learned through the planning of the forum is how transformational change begins with the smallest first steps. From a university student who cuts out fast-fashion, to a community-based food-sharing program to eliminate waste, to entire industries transitioning to sustainable materials and circular processes – everyone has something to contribute to accelerating this change.
Brennan Strandberg-Salmon
Project Coordinator at WCEF2021 and 4th year Resource and Environmental Management student at Simon Fraser University
What are you most excited to see at the forum?
I’m excited to witness the coming together of diverse voices and perspectives from all around the world to amplify the global circular economy conversation. I’m particularly looking forward to hearing from our youth speakers, who will bring fresh ideas and focus our attention on the game-changing actions needed to protect our planet and future generations. I can’t wait to see the WCEF2021 sessions come to life and engage a global audience to become part of the circular economy movement!
Mireta Strandberg-Salmon
Project Coordinator at WCEF2021 and Resource and Environmental Management student at Simon Fraser University
How do you plan to keep being involved in circular economy after the forum?
The circular economy is something that doesn’t stop when I finish work for the day. Since I was 15, I have been leading efforts at my high school and university to end the sales of bottled water and other single use plastics. Following our successes on campus, my goal is to continue having daily conversations about circularity, climate change, and societal transformation to spark innovative visions for and actions towards a better future for all. There is a role for everyone in the transition to a circular economy and I can’t wait to build off the momentum of the forum to bring more people into the circularity dialogue.
WCEF2021 will bring together business leaders, policy makers, experts, and enthusiasts to present circular economy solutions with the aim of accelerating the global transition to a circular economy. Don’t miss out.