An image of a conference group with the title 'Waste Prevention Exchange - 18 May 2023, online'
Published date: 16 May 2023

NLWA conference to lead the conversation on systems thinking and the circular economy

Over 600 attendees have now registered to come together this week at North London Waste Authority’s (NLWA) ninth annual Waste Prevention Exchange, making it the largest yet. Guests will include local government leaders, third sector champions, circular economy innovators and new and established businesses involved in reduction, reuse, repair, recycling, and waste management, as well as systems thinking.

The 18 May conference will see experts in the field tackle some of the most complex issues in reduction, reuse, repair, recycling, and waste prevention and share exciting new ideas. Top of the agenda this year is systems thinking – how looking at the bigger picture can help us move to a circular economy that will drive real change.

“We know north Londoners are committed to reducing their waste,” said Councillor Clyde Loakes, NLWA Chair and conference host. “But to truly make a difference, we need to think bigger and prevent waste across the whole economy. That’s why this year’s conference will focus on systems thinking – how we can make our economy more sustainable from the ground up.”

Sharing their perspectives on systems-wide waste prevention will be expert speakers including Sarah Burns, Innovation & Sustainability Coordinator at Bristol Waste Company, a guest academic from Plymouth University, and Pauline Metivier, Head of Business and Sector Support at ReLondon. They’ll provide unique insights on why systems thinking is critical to achieving sustainability, and how that approach can be applied at the local government level.

Another key theme of the conference will be behaviour change, with behavioural insights specialist Jake Reynolds, Associate Advisor at The Behavioural Insights Team, discussing how to effectively encourage local residents to make more sustainable choices. The speakers will explore the kind of evidence-based behaviour change theory that NLWA is already incorporating into our waste prevention strategies.

The conference is free to attend and will be conducted virtually, so NLWA is welcoming anyone with a passion for sustainability to listen in. Councillor Clyde Loakes said: “With this year’s excellent line-up of speakers, the ninth and biggest Waste Prevention Exchange is sure to be a fascinating discussion and sharing of ideas.”

Event details and registrations can be found on the event page.

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