šļø Circularity Catalyst with Ken Alston
Where regenerative thinking meets real-world business strategy.
What if sustainability wasnāt an add-on, but a core driver of innovation, integrity, and profit?
Circularity Catalyst is the podcast for leaders, founders, and changemakers who are ready to move beyond greenwashing and buzzwords ā and design businesses that truly sustain the conditions for life on Earth.
Hosted by Ken Alston ā sustainability pioneer, systems thinker, and creator of the Tactical Tetrahedronā¢ and Design Like Natureā¢ frameworks ā each episode brings deep insight into what it takes to rewire your business for the circular economy, not just compliance.
Youāll hear:
š§ Candid conversations with regenerative thinkers and real-world practitioners
š Frameworks and strategies for 21st-century business design
š Clarity on what sustainability actually means ā and how to apply it
š Real examples of circular transformation from multiple industries
š¬ Solo episodes that connect big-picture thinking with practical tools
Whether you're a CEO, a team lead, or an entrepreneur building what's next, this podcast will challenge, guide, and catalyze you.
ā Weekly episodes
ā Real frameworks, not fluff
ā Rooted in nature, designed for business
"Circular Cocoa: Transforming Waste into Wealth" - Joseph Bandanaa
Join Ken Alston on the Circularity Catalyst podcast as he explores the innovative world of sustainable cocoa production with Joseph Bandanaa and Joƫl Frei. Discover how the Swiss platform for sustainable cocoa is turning waste into value, promoting circular business models, and enhancing livelihoods in Ghana. Discover groundbreaking initiatives such as cocoa pulp juice and biochar, and learn how these efforts contribute to a more sustainable future. Don't miss this insightful conversation on the power of circularity in the cocoa industry!
12 Nov 2025
Revolutionizing Sustainability: The Insect Industry's Role in the Future of Food
Join Ken Alston as he sits down with Jason Elate from the new startup Insect Flux to explore the groundbreaking potential of the insect industry in addressing global food waste.
11 Nov 2025
Revolutionizing Sustainability: The Insect Industry's Role in the Future of Food with Jason Elate
Join Ken Alston as he sits down with Jason Elate from the new startup Insect Flux to explore the groundbreaking potential of the insect industry in addressing global food waste.
31 Oct 2025
Sustainabilityās Original Sin: A Wake-Up Call for Business Leaders
In this powerful episode of The Circularity Catalyst, Ken Alston revisits the roots of corporate sustainability and reveals a critical flaw he calls the āoriginal sinā ā a decades-old misquote that set business sustainability on the wrong path. Drawing from his firsthand experience at the 1992 Earth Summit, Ken explains how sustainability lost its true meaning, how AI is now amplifying those mistakes, and why understanding Vitacide Riskā¢ is essential for the future of life and business.
31 Oct 2025
Vitacide Riskā¢: How Companies Accidentally Undermine Their Own Survival
In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst, Ken Alston introduces the concept of Vitacide Riskā¢ ā the hidden business threat that comes from damaging the very systems your company depends on. Drawing from decades of experience in corporate sustainability and circular design, Ken explains how traditional business models are unsustainable and shares two proven frameworks ā the Tactical Tetrahedron and Design-Like-Nature ā that help companies shift from harmful practices to regenerative growth.
31 Oct 2025
Beyond the Loop: Ken Alston on Real Circularity and Vitacide Riskā¢
In this reboot episode of The Circularity Catalyst, Ken Alston redefines what real circularity means and why ācircularity alone isnāt enough.ā He explains how sustainability has been diluted and introduces key ideas like Vitacide Riskā¢āthe danger businesses face when they unknowingly harm the very systems that sustain life. Ken shares how real circularity, inspired by natureās living cycles, can help companies move beyond loops and into true regeneration.
31 Oct 2025
The Leadership Crisis: Why Managing Isnāt Leading
In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst, Ken Alston delivers a powerful message on the urgent need for real leadership in business and sustainability. He challenges executives to move beyond managing profits and start taking responsibility for life on Earth. Drawing from history and his own corporate experience, Ken calls for a new generation of leadersāthose willing to rethink the system, embrace stewardship, and build a truly regenerative future.
31 Oct 2025
How Astronauts Inspire a New Era of Sustainable Business
In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst Podcast, Ken Alston explores what business leaders can learn from astronauts and the āoverview effectā ā the life-changing perspective gained from seeing Earth from space. He explains how this shift in viewpoint can inspire companies to move from linear, extractive thinking to regenerative, life-supporting design. Drawing insights from NASA missions and systems thinking, Ken shows how leaders can redesign their businesses to operate like living systems ā sustainable, circular, and deeply connected to the planet.
31 Oct 2025
The Design Like Nature Framework: Turning Sustainability Into Strategy
In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst, Ken Alston introduces his seven-step Design Like Nature process ā a framework for breaking free from stale thinking and creating regenerative, life-centered innovations. Discover how to move from compliance to creativity, align your business with natureās logic, and lead the future of sustainable design.
31 Oct 2025
Beyond Sustainability: Ken Alstonās Vision for Real Circularity
In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst podcast, Ken Alston discusses the urgent need for a new approach to sustainability, introducing the concept of Real Circularity. He critiques the failures of current systems and frameworks, emphasizing the importance of a regenerative future that goes beyond traditional sustainability models. Alston presents the Tactical Tetrahedron and the Design Like Nature system as foundational frameworks for achieving real circularity, inviting listeners to engage with the movement through courses and collaborative efforts.
31 Oct 2025
Sustainability vs. Regeneration: The Real Conversation We Need to Have
In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst podcast, host Ken Alston discusses the growing debate around the term 'sustainability' and whether it should be replaced with alternatives like 'regenerative' or 'circular.' He argues that simply changing the terminology does not address the underlying issues of environmental responsibility and the confusion between sustainability and sustainable development. Alston emphasizes the need for a deeper understanding of these concepts and highlights the role of AI in perpetuating misinformation. He advocates for a return to the original principles of sustainability and introduces the Circularity Network as a community for professionals committed to genuine environmental stewardship.
31 Oct 2025
Real Circularity: The Antidote to Our Consumer-Driven World
In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst podcast, Ken Alston reflects on the impact of consumerism and the urgent need for a new narrative centered around sustainability and stewardship. Drawing inspiration from the film 'Oh Lucky Man' and its themes of consumerism, he discusses the consequences of our current economic model and introduces the concept of 'real circularity' as a pathway towards a more sustainable future.
31 Oct 2025
Knows That Everyone Knows: The Secret to Real Sustainability
In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst, Ken Alston explores how communicationānot just actionācan spark real sustainability change. Drawing on Steven Pinkerās ācommon knowledge paradox,ā he explains how shared awareness can drive systemic transformation in business. Ken introduces practical ways to use transparency, storytelling, and collaboration to turn sustainability from a private goal into a collective movement.
29 Oct 2025
Walk and Chew Gum
Ken Alston shares a powerful personal declaration about purpose, transformation, and creating a life aligned with natureās intelligence. He speaks on releasing limitation, embracing inner work, and designing regenerative systems that sustain life for all species, forever.
6 Oct 2025
Bagging the Plastic Habit: Andy Kellerās Fight Against Single-Use Waste
In this episode of The Circularity Catalyst Podcast, host Ken Alston talks with Andy Keller, CEO of ChicoBag, about his mission to eliminate single-use plastics. Andy shares how a trip to the landfill inspired him to create reusable bags, how he stood up to the plastic industry, and why businesses must take full responsibility for their environmental impact.
6 Oct 2025
Turning Ocean Plastic into Purpose: Aly Khalifaās Journey to a Circular Future
In this episode of the Circularity Catalyst Podcast, host Ken Alston talks with Aly Khalifa, Innovation Director at Positive.company (http://Positive.company). Aly shares how his passion for design and sustainability began with a student project that eliminated Styrofoam at his university and evolved into global work tackling ocean plastics through his company OceanWorks. He discusses the power of taking small local actions, building inventive cultures, and driving real-world solutions for a circular economy.
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