The lecture series are structured around three important production and consumption chains that largely determine the footprint of the modern consumer: energy, materials and food. For each of these three chains, the international context and evolution is outlined. Critical elements in the chains are examined with a closer look at production, consumption and disposal. The lessons are illustrated with cases from the research, mainly from European and Flemish projects.For energy, these include energy storage systems that rely heavily on critical metals and have international environmental and social implications. In the case of materials, there is a great deal of attention for circular economy and indicators for circular economy on the one hand, and for high-quality recycling of plastics, among other things, on the other. Equally important is the attention paid to finite raw materials such as metals: are they really exhaustible or do we rather handle them carelessly? Finally, food chains are analyzed, focusing on the role of packaging and food losses in terms of sustainability. 

Dates: 

• First lecture: Wednesday, April 28, 2021
• Second lecture: Wednesday, May 5, 2021
• Third lecture: Thursday, May 20, 2021

Rewatch the lecture series below: