• Home
  • Articles
  • Publications
  • Presentations
  • Projects
  • Change Agency
  • Tools & Concepts
  • Influences
  • Mentors
  • …  
    • Home
    • Articles
    • Publications
    • Presentations
    • Projects
    • Change Agency
    • Tools & Concepts
    • Influences
    • Mentors
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Publications
  • Presentations
  • Projects
  • Change Agency
  • Tools & Concepts
  • Influences
  • Mentors
  • …  
    • Home
    • Articles
    • Publications
    • Presentations
    • Projects
    • Change Agency
    • Tools & Concepts
    • Influences
    • Mentors

Measuring the Circular Impact of Makerspaces

How can the 'circular' contributions and impact of makerspaces be measured and communicated?

A traditional metric and performance indicator in the waste and recycling industry is to measure waste to landfill, or materials diverted for recycling.

But how do we keep track of a variety of materials that have been reused, such as offcuts or salvaged/donated? And is it possible to measure avoided consumption?

How do we define avoided consumption, and differentiate it from materials that displace consumption through repair, reuse, remanufacturing?

Here is a proposed measurement framework I developed in 2020-21 for Makerspace Adelaide, and to which others have contributed ideas and proposals - it is still a work in process, and has not been tested:

broken image

The framework is based on levels of advancement in relation to a series of elements based on the materials hierarchy - it sets out criteria and associated metrics for assessing if criteria have been met, across a spectrum of development, from just starting out to leading edge.

The framework also includes measures based on economic and social impact:

broken image

The criteria and metrics could be reordered or be made more nuanced; they may also not be easy to collect or assess; and they require procedures and systems to be established to track.

This information could be bundled into visual form in a 'sunburst' or 'radar' chart, similar to this example from the Australian Packaging Covenant:

broken image

 

Previous
From Useless to Use Less
Next
Failure Demand: A Pac Man Metaphor
 Return to site
Cookie Use
We use cookies to improve browsing experience, security, and data collection. By accepting, you agree to the use of cookies for advertising and analytics. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Learn More
Accept all
Settings
Decline All
Cookie Settings
Necessary Cookies
These cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. These cookies can’t be switched off.
Analytics Cookies
These cookies help us better understand how visitors interact with our website and help us discover errors.
Preferences Cookies
These cookies allow the website to remember choices you've made to provide enhanced functionality and personalization.
Save