IDEAS FOR GOOD held online event: “Designing the transition together—exploring the potential of ‘revised’ plastics (Climate Creative Cafe.16)”

IDEAS FOR GOOD, a media platform collects ideas to make society better, hosted the online event “Designing the transition together—exploring the potential of ‘revised’ plastics (Climate Creative Cafe.16)” on December 2 in collaboration with Members Co.,Ltd..

As part of the Climate Creative project, which tackles the climate crisis through creative ideas, communication, and business model innovation, IDEAS FOR GOOD and Members Inc. have been organizing events under the Climate Creative Cafe series. This series focuses on highlighting creative approaches from various industries and organizations, encouraging participants to transform discussions into actionable solutions.
*View past events here. (in Japanese)

“‘revised’ plastics and designing for transition”

For its 16th installment, the event explored the theme “Revised Plastics and Designing for Transition.” In recent years, efforts to address climate change and waste issues have accelerated shifts away from traditional resources, such as decarbonization, phasing out gasoline, and reducing reliance on plastics. However, these transitions often pose significant risks and challenges for businesses in specific sectors, including material manufacturers, industrial waste processors, and gasoline vehicle producers. Amid these headwinds, some companies are rethinking their business models and organizational structures.

But should the responsibility for these shifts rest solely on directly affected businesses? Moreover, can we ensure that the alternatives we transition to are truly effective and reliable? As society focuses on transforming energy and materials, it’s essential to consider the broader context of climate change and waste issues. The societal “transition” required must encompass changes in goods and services, lifestyles, and social systems at their core.

Such a transition is a long-term process requiring open dialogue and collaboration. We must collectively envision “What does the new normal look like?” and “What path should we take to get there?”

This event focused on plastics, a key topic in the pursuit of a sustainable society. Together, we discussed the current state of transitions in this field, the evolving relationship between people and plastics, and the roles and responsibilities of businesses and individuals in this shift.

We welcomed two guest speakers actively involved in shaping the future of plastics and societal transitions:

• Yuri Matsunaga, Green Chemicals Business Development Office, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., who champions the concept of transitioning “from anti-plastics to revised plastics.”
• Ikuho Kochi, Associate Professor at Kanazawa University, Institute of Transdisciplinary Sciences, who researches societal transitions toward a circular economy and behavioral change among consumers.

[Reference] [Event on 12/2] Designing the transition together—exploring the potential of “revised” plastics (Climate Creative Cafe.16) | IDEAS FOR GOOD (in Japanese)
[Related Page] Climate Creative Special Page: “Tackling the Climate Crisis Through Creativity” | IDEAS FOR GOOD (in Japanese)
[Related Site] IDEAS FOR GOOD (in Japanese)