RENAS

Insights on Circularity, Language, and Change

RENAS is a compliance company with its roots in the collection and recycling of waste electronics and batteries. As an organisation we are also dedicated to help bring about change. We advocate for better resource management and seek to influence businesses, policy makers and the public at large to adopt better practices and set more ambitious recycling goals.

As part of our 25th anniversary we set out for Nashville, Tennessee for inspiration, to learn and to share. We were joined by Senator Heidi Campell (DEM) for two days who graciously gave us a tour of the state capitol building and explained the policy making processes of Tennessee and the political landscape. She also participated in events and factory tours with us. We very much enjoyed the openness in the discussions and the frank portrayal of the working conditions for a minority representative in a largely Republican state. 

Navigating the Politics of Recycling

We also initiated a Circularity Summit at the Vanderbilt University, held at the Wond’ry, the university’s innovation centre. The summit featured a series of exceptional panel discussions, with among others Jeremy Hooper and Caleb Powell, from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Dave Krikac from Electronics Recycling Solutions, Ashley Foreman, from Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, and Dr. Kendra Abkowitz, Senior Director of Sustainability and Resilience for the City of Nashville. Each panellist shared valuable insights on circular economy practices, pollution reduction, and environmental sustainability.

One of the participants at the summit did however not mince words: “Tennessee is the last state in the US to care about recycling”. So what could we learn from a trip here?

Uniting Purpose and Profit

It has become a trope that the US innovate, China imitates, and Europe regulates. It is a central theme when discussing the future of the European Union, how European businesses are being bogged down by regulation and bureaucracy, hampering innovation, investments and initiatives. 

The US seems to always take the free market approach, avoiding any regulations that could be bad for business.

It is likely that the best solution lies somewhere in between these two extremes, which is why we are so interested in marrying the best from both sides of the Atlantic. 

Especially from our visit to Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations we learned how scale and throughput can create profit in the e-waste recycling business. And at Electronic Recycling Solutions we experienced firsthand how social entrepreneurship and a profitable business can be married as Dave and Derek showed us how they employ adults with autism and run a successful e-waste refurbishment and recycling operation.

Shifting Mindsets: The Language of Circular Change

Another theme is how environmental and recycling regulations and initiatives has become highly politicized and part of the polarization between Republicans and Democrats in the US. In RENAS we have taken an interest in how language matters. And how words and the manner of which you talk about a subject can both divide and unite. 

Our CEO Bjørn Arild Thon is part of a group of professionals who initiated a nationwide US study in 2023, The Language Factor. “Climate change” is a phrase previously shown to be triggering. It polarizes people, resonating with many but also leading many others to tune out or even become hostile to the initiatives. The study shows that people respond better to more tangible messaging that is relatable to their everyday lives, as opposed to more abstract terms.

Thon picks up on this in his recently published book Let’s get practical, where both thought leaders and everyday examples show how you can start making changes in your own life, and find your own green pivot.

The lesson is that advocating for regulations to support the circular economy and prolonging the life of products and materials very quickly becomes political if you are not careful with the phrasing. We see some of the same tendencies in Europe and our native Norway. 

Learning Across Borders: Balancing Innovation, Regulation, and Sustainability

Our visit to Nashville reminded us that sustainable resource management requires both innovative solutions and supportive regulatory frameworks. By learning from social enterprises and policy leaders, we saw how profitability and social impact can go hand in hand. And importantly, we reaffirmed the power of thoughtful communication in depoliticizing environmental action. With these lessons in mind, RENAS remains committed to fostering international collaboration and promoting pragmatic, inclusive strategies for a circular economy. We look forward to staying in touch with our new friends in the Music City and the state of Tennessee.