A Road to Circular Economy: Mindful Consumption

Abstract

With higher level of the ecological crisis and the impacts of climate change becoming more and more visible every year, there is an urgent need to search for ways to render our society more sustainable. The purpose of this article is to study the influence of mindful consumption on the transition towards circular economy. Documentary study and literature review were used for data collection. The problems of irrational consumption were examined, circular economy principles were investigated, and explore how right mindfulness effects consumer‟s behaviors in the consumption process and how it influences the business sector towards circular economy. Results showed that right mindfulness, when applied to an individual‟s consumption behaviors, it can promote individuals‟ awareness of waste problems, resource depletion, pollution, environmental degradation and climate change when they make their decision on purchasing. Thus, their consumption process develops in more sustainable way which contributes to resources conservation and environmental sustainability. As a result, it will influence business sector to make a transition towards circular economy; reducing raw material extraction, designing and manufacturing more sustainable/eco-friendly products, and using more recycle materials. Circular economy concept is a great move towards environmental sustainability. Consumers play an important role in the economic system of a nation. If there is no consumers‟ effective demand, the producers would have no motivation to produce and sell to consumers. To move forwards on the path towards circular economy, consumers are required to make their choice with mindfulness.