The Institute of Circular Economy (INCIEN) is a Czech NGO that was founded in 2015 by Soňa Jonášová to raise awareness about principles of the circular economy, one of the most fundamental ideas in sustainable development. They offer education and awareness-raising activities to municipalities, businesses and schools, such as workshops and conferences, as well as waste-analysis, in which they take apart and sort peoples’ mixed waste to help highlight inefficiencies in current waste management systems in the Czech Republic.
“In agriculture, which I studied at University, everything should work in a closed cycle — it makes sense. It’s interesting to me that it also relates to technical products and the way we consume… We have to somehow close cycles of energy, of materials — of everything… We are really reaching the bottom point of our resources… We shouldn’t think of waste as waste, but as something that can be used.” – Soňa Jonášová, founder