Chris Oestereich
Author, Publisher, Circular Economy Instigator
The Big Picture
I help communities and organizations shift towards the circular economy via Linear to Circular, as well as community-oriented efforts with the Circular Design Lab. I’m also a writer and the publisher of the Wicked Problems Collaborative, and a lecturer at Thammasat University’s School of Global Studies in Bangkok, Thailand, where I teach active-learning courses on social innovation, social enterprise, and advocacy.
What I do
it's all connected
Linear to Circular
Helping People, Planet, & Business
L2C helps firms analyze their waste streams, design programs tailored to create financial and environmental benefits, and implement related programs to move towards the circular economy. We're also working to develop a waste-to-value program that will create socially valuable products from materials sourced from informal waste collectors.
Wicked Problems Collaborative
Books are Good Food
The WPC focuses on humanity’s biggest challenges. Our first book was an anthology on inequality “What Do We Do About Inequality?” My latest book, “Pandemic Capitalism,” looks at systemic challenges in the current context and advocates for systemic change. WPC Book #2: What do we do after the pandemic? will be released in 2021.
Circular Design Lab
Systemic Design for the Masses
The CDL teaches communities to work on major social and environmental challenges. We design and lead workshops using systemic design-an approach that marries design and systems thinking-to help community members address wicked problems where they are. We’re also creating a framework and toolkit for systemic design.
Why I Teach
Matters will not improve of their own accord
Writing Samples
essays and whatnot
The Week
all you need to know about everything that matters
The RSA
21st century enlightenment
Serving Others
Circular Design Lab
The Future of Work
Our Treatment of Refugees
Supporting Social Innovations
Harvard Business Review
ideas and advice for Leaders
The Circular Economy is Good Business
Sustainable Brands
systems thinking in action
Radical Intrapreneurship
On the Role of Sustainability Leaders
Advocacy, Purpose, and Engagement
Impact Assessment
Inclusive Business
SALT Magazine
compassionate business thinking
Challenging Your Beliefs
On Driverless Cars
Avoiding Corporate Calcification
THINK
ideas and innovative solutions to today’s most pressing problems
The Necessity of Circularity
Social Space
innovation + impact
Questioning Tech
Re-envisioning Schools
The Nation
Thailand's Independent Newspaper
SDG Helpdesk
a one-stop online service providing access to SDG-related tools, knowledge, & more
Pandemic Capitalism
Not capitalism in the pandemic, but as one.
Can I help?
If you need help cleaning up your operations, I’d love to look at opportunities to help you with that. But I can also help you re-orient your thinking, and your business strategy, towards a more sustainable path. As a business person with years of experience leading efforts around sustainability strategy, as well as operational work with organizations from SMEs to multinationals. I can help you get beyond esoteric discussions about the circular economy to begin delivering meaningful impact.
Along with driving circular economy-related efforts, I'm available for keynotes, moderation, and panels, as well as workshop design and facilitation. And I'm always on the lookout for new waste sources for Linear to Circular's waste-to-value program.
aFFILIATIONS
partner organizations
The RSA
21st century enlightenment
As a Global Ambassador of the RSA, I have hosted events like the Bangkok Talks series in collaboration with the School of Global Studies at Thammasat University. The RSA has also provided grant money to help support the Circular Design Lab.
Thammasat University - School of Global Studies
innovators for sustainable solutions to complex global issues
I'm a former faculty member and current adjunct at Thammasat University’s School of Global Studies (SGS). I teach courses designed for active learning on social innovation, advocacy, and social enterprise in the ASEAN context.
Circular Economy Club - Bangkok
local action. global impact.
As Thailand’s Organizer for the Circular Economy Club, I host events that bring together circular economy proponents for collaborative learning and to develop possibilities.
The Pledge on Food Waste
time to save food
I’m a member of the Board of Advisors for The Pledge on Food Waste, where I’ve provided guidance for the certification program’s creation and ongoing evolution.
Story-Based Systemic Design
sit with the problem
Story-Based Systemic Design (SBSD) helps people design change with sustainability being central to the process.
SBSD is a participant-driven framework for systemic design that integrates systems thinking and storytelling in seeking community-developed solutions to wicked problems.
Learn more about SBSD over at the Linear to Circular site.