Recycling, Reuse, and the Interconnected World Economy

Adam Minter is an opinion columnist at Bloomberg covering Asia, technology and the environment. He's written two books, Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion-Dollar Trash Trade, and Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale. 

Adam is a global expert on the circular economy, and we spend the first chunk of the conversation covering the recycling market and the role of China therein. We then go into the reuse market and talk about textiles and clothing. Lastly, we cover some of his recent reporting, which spans water and agriculture before bringing it back to climate and China. Adam is deeply knowledgeable about a lot of topics, and he has a knack for uncovering the global market forces that shape local economic situations and trends. This conversation is rapid-fire and covers a lot of ground.

In this episode, we cover: 

• [02:00]: Adam's background and family history in the scrap metal business
• [03:28]: The existing circular economy as a theme in Adam's work
• [05:33]: The role of recycling in China's rise in the industrial economy
• [08:51]: The U.S. investment in recycling EV batteries
• [10:25]: Adam's thoughts on "green protectionism"  
• [11:15]: The global market for used consumer goods
• [13:26]: The role of secondhand clothing in developing countries and the impact of South and East Asian apparel manufacturers
• [19:22]: The pros and cons of big U.S. brands engaging in recommerce 
• [21:02]: The true environmental value of extending product lifespan
• [25:10]: Challenges of mining and recycling rare earth minerals
• [27:44]: An overview of plastics recycling, the role of consumer demand, and limitations of recycling technology
• [34:25]: Adam's shift into the water and agriculture topic space
• [36:09]: His recent pieces on water scarcity due to groundwater depletion
• [42:07]: The complexities of water rights and regulation in the U.S.
• [45:57] Adam's thoughts on why the 2023 Farm Bill should support climate-positive farming practices
• [47:45]: How crop insurance policies can sometimes exacerbate food crises
• [51:36]: Adam's thoughts on China and the climate crisis

Get connected: 
Adam Minter Twitter / LinkedIn
Cody Simms Twitter / LinkedIn
MCJ Podcast / Collective

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Episode recorded on May 11, 2023 (Published on Jul 17, 2023)

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant