Director of Product Design, Parsons The New School
Barent Roth, director and co-founder of Circular Economy Mfg, is a designer, educator, activist and now entrepreneur dedicated to creating and teaching the importance of sustainable products, practices, and services. A design educator for 28 years, he recently completed his first year as Director of the Product Design program at Parsons, The New School in New York City. In addition to educating/advocating about the urgency to transition to a Circular Economy, he works to continuously improve his own personal impact by supporting sustainable businesses and cooperatives, enjoying a vegan lifestyle, and purchasing renewable energy for his family.
In 2019 his design consultancy was selected as a winner of the NYC Curb to Market Challenge asking for ideas to turn New York City’s waste into products. This award enabled the launch of Circular Economy Manufacturing and the assembly of their first 100% solar powered MicroFactory now operating on Governors Island, recycling single use plastic into well designed durable products.
Recycling Realities
Recycling has its problems, and we should Reduce and Reuse first, but Recycling must still be part of a Circular Economy as we transition away from single use plastic.
New York City alone is currently diverting 1,000 tons a day from landfill of glass, metal, and plastic.
This session will begin with a brief Circular Economy intro, followed by an explanation of the realities behind recycling, including the debunking of many recycling myths currently circulating.
The session will conclude with an explanation of our own efforts at Circular Economy Manufacturing. There we are creating a local Technical Cycle by using our 100% solar powered MicroFactory to recycle single use plastic into durable goods with our innovative rotational molding machine on Governors Island in New York City.
The audience will learn:
