Exhibition by Anna Stammler-Gossmann
As humans, we have adopted a linear “take, make and throw away” approach, in contrast to the circular processes observed in nature. In the living world, there is no waste disposal site – the waste of one species is the food of another, things grow and then die, and nutrients return to the soil. Can we shift our linear mindset to operate in the same circular manner as the more-than-human world?
While recycling begins at the end of a product’s life cycle, a circular economy addresses waste prevention from the outset. However, there are many structural, legal and cost-related challenges in implementing this concept in practice.
The exhibition presents the Finnish-Argentinian project CIBIECO (Circular Bioeconomy: From Theory to practice, 2022-2024). The project focuses on the ideas of the circular economy like “building capital from waste”, “keeping economy in a circular loop”, and their practical application in small enterprises across Finland and Argentina.
This project integrates research, education, and local community engagement. The exchange between Finnish and Argentinian researchers and students provides great opportunities for circulation of expertise, knowledge and cultural insights. The exhibition presents photo materials collected during the visits, fieldwork and “Circularity schools” in Finland and Argentina (2023). The project is funded by Team Finland Knowledge Programme.
Project participants:
Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland (Lead institution, PI Anna Stammler-Gossmann))
Centria University of Applied Sciences, Kokkola, Finland
National University of Río Cuarto, Rio Cuarto, Argentina
National University of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands, Ushuaia, Argentina
