Circularity Catalyst Podcast

Join Ken Alston on the Circularity Catalyst podcast as he explores the innovative world of sustainable cocoa production with Joseph Bandanaa and Joël Frei. Discover how the Swiss platform for sustainable cocoa is turning waste into value, promoting circular business models, and enhancing livelihoods in Ghana. Discover groundbreaking initiatives such as cocoa pulp juice and biochar, and learn how t...

Join Ken Alston as he sits down with Jason Elate from the new startup Insect Flux to explore the groundbreaking potential of the insect industry in addressing global food waste. Discover how this innovative marketplace is connecting insect farming with the agri-food industry, creating a sustainable solution to a $1.1 trillion problem. Learn about the challenges and triumphs of building a new marke...

In this powerful episode of The Circularity Catalyst , Ken Alston revisits the roots of corporate sustainability and reveals a critical flaw he calls the “original sin” — a decades-old misquote that set business sustainability on the wrong path. Drawing from his firsthand experience at the 1992 Earth Summit, Ken explains how sustainability lost its true meaning, how AI is now amplifying those mist...

In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst , Ken Alston introduces the concept of Vitacide Risk™ — the hidden business threat that comes from damaging the very systems your company depends on. Drawing from decades of experience in corporate sustainability and circular design, Ken explains how traditional business models are unsustainable and shares two proven frameworks — the Tactical Tetrahedron...

In this reboot episode of The Circularity Catalyst , Ken Alston redefines what real circularity means and why “circularity alone isn’t enough.” He explains how sustainability has been diluted and introduces key ideas like Vitacide Risk™ —the danger businesses face when they unknowingly harm the very systems that sustain life. Ken shares how real circularity, inspired by nature’s living cycles, can...

In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst , Ken Alston delivers a powerful message on the urgent need for real leadership in business and sustainability. He challenges executives to move beyond managing profits and start taking responsibility for life on Earth. Drawing from history and his own corporate experience, Ken calls for a new generation of leaders—those willing to rethink the system, em...

In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst Podcast, Ken Alston explores what business leaders can learn from astronauts and the “overview effect” — the life-changing perspective gained from seeing Earth from space. He explains how this shift in viewpoint can inspire companies to move from linear, extractive thinking to regenerative, life-supporting design. Drawing insights from NASA missions and...

In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst , Ken Alston introduces his seven-step Design Like Nature process — a framework for breaking free from stale thinking and creating regenerative, life-centered innovations. Discover how to move from compliance to creativity, align your business with nature’s logic, and lead the future of sustainable design.

In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst podcast, Ken Alston discusses the urgent need for a new approach to sustainability, introducing the concept of Real Circularity. He critiques the failures of current systems and frameworks, emphasizing the importance of a regenerative future that goes beyond traditional sustainability models. Alston presents the Tactical Tetrahedron and the Design Like N...

In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst podcast, host Ken Alston discusses the growing debate around the term 'sustainability' and whether it should be replaced with alternatives like 'regenerative' or 'circular.' He argues that simply changing the terminology does not address the underlying issues of environmental responsibility and the confusion between sustainability and sustainable develop...

In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst podcast, Ken Alston reflects on the impact of consumerism and the urgent need for a new narrative centered around sustainability and stewardship. Drawing inspiration from the film 'Oh Lucky Man' and its themes of consumerism, he discusses the consequences of our current economic model and introduces the concept of 'real circularity' as a pathway towards...

In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst , Ken Alston explores how communication—not just action—can spark real sustainability change. Drawing on Steven Pinker’s “common knowledge paradox,” he explains how shared awareness can drive systemic transformation in business. Ken introduces practical ways to use transparency, storytelling, and collaboration to turn sustainability from a private goal i...

Ken Alston shares a powerful personal declaration about purpose, transformation, and creating a life aligned with nature’s intelligence. He speaks on releasing limitation, embracing inner work, and designing regenerative systems that sustain life for all species, forever.

In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst Podcast , host Ken Alston talks with Andy Keller, CEO of ChicoBag, about his mission to eliminate single-use plastics. Andy shares how a trip to the landfill inspired him to create reusable bags, how he stood up to the plastic industry, and why businesses must take full responsibility for their environmental impact.

In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst Podcast , host Ken Alston talks with Aly Khalifa, Innovation Director at Positive.company . Aly shares how his passion for design and sustainability began with a student project that eliminated Styrofoam at his university and evolved into global work tackling ocean plastics through his company OceanWorks. He discusses the power of taking small local acti...