Business case

Impact on the availability of resources as well as their effect on living organisms, ecosystems, and components of the environment.

Ecological Impact

Impacts on the social fabric of the community and well-being of the individuals and families.

Social Impact

Impacts on the financial condition of a company, as well as the the economicconditions of its stakeholders and on economic systems at local, national, andglobal levels.

Economic Impact

Impact on increased knowledge and understanding as a result of the case study

Increase Awareness

Impact on the quantity or quality of jobs, and shifts in the labour market

Jobs

Impact on the health and happiness of human populations

Well-being

Contribution to social parity, or impact on social disparity

Equality

Direct and indirect reduction in economic costs

Cost Savings

Direct and indirect effects that increase revenues or the potential for new revenues, for example from new products, customer segments, partnerships or business models

Revenue Potential

Efficiency gains on operations or transactions either through cultural or technological shifts

Productivity

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Minimise waste through diversion: Instead of sending waste to landfill, it is redirected into other industrial processes for handling, treatment, recycling, recovery, or reuse in various forms. 

Minimise waste through design: At the outset of a process of project, plan and design such that there is zero waste or minimal waste during production, use, and at end of life. 

Minimise Waste (SDG12)

Reduced use and withdrawal of water and rate of recycling and reuse of water

Save Water (SDG6)

Contributing to the improvement of biodiversity including species diversity, total number of protected species, and ecosystem health

Biodiversity

Producing agricultural products and processing them into food and beverageproducts for consumption

Agri/Food

Producing and gathering crop and animal products from land and water through farming, hunting, and fishing

Agriculture

Utilise waste streams as a source of secondary resources and recover waste for reuse and recycling

Use waste as a resource

Reuse, repurpose, and recycle waste streams within the same industry

Valorise waste streams - closed loop

Reuse, repurpose, and recycle waste streams within other industries

Valorise waste streams - open loop

Cycle strategies aim to cycle and reuse materials at their highest value: they maximise the volume of secondary materials re-entering the economy, ultimately minimising the need for virgin material inputs and therefore also narrowing flows. Of course, virgin materials will always be needed to a degree: all materials degrade and can’t be cycled infinitely, use energy, and require blending with virgin materials to maintain strength and functionality.

Cycle

Impacts

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Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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   People in Iran have been experiencing the effects of climate change for decades. betterSoil founder Azadeh Farajpour grew up in Iran and knows this firsthand. Even in the days of the Persian great kings, when many rivers and rich vegetation characterized the region, magnificent gardens inspired people. The concept of paradise dates back to this time. Due to the personal connections and the historical roots of Persian agriculture, Iran is the perfect starting point for the betterSoil team.
     

   0 million people live in Iran ~ 0 % of the population are farmers  0 % of the area of Iran is at risk of desertification
 Elaheh is an avid soil scientist with a keen interested in everything that lives in the soil beneath our feet. Somayeh has hands-on experience in soil improvement on her family’s farm. Together they embody the betterSoil approach of combining scientific knowledge with indigenous experience. Elika recently joined the team to promote betterSoil in the country. Azadeh and Tobias support the team from Germany and by visiting Iran regularly.
 
   In a dry region like Iran, soil improvement is inherently challenging. However, when soil is imporved, great gains are made. For nature, for people and for the climate. We registred a company in Iran and started operations: We have started the production of our betterSoil Booster and have won the first farmers and private gardeners as customers. 
 
                                     In Iran, betterSoil is pursuing the concept of a circular economy. We have started collecting and recycling biological waste throughout the city of Kerman. In this way, we can transform biological waste from a problem into a solution for a sustainable future. We are talking to local people, networking and taking a practical approach to the situation. This is how our team has laid the foundation for a sustainable supply chain for the production of our soil amendment products. 
There is a lot of biological waste in the world, such as food scraps and garden waste. Every year, more than 80% of it is not recycled but sent to landfills, which pollute the environment, climate and groundwater. Often, biowaste is burned in open fields, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 
Urbanization and population growth in Kerman are increasing the demand for our work. By 2050, even more people will live in the city and produce even more waste. This means that our environment will be even more polluted. That's why we feel even more compelled to expand our work. We turn waste into nutrients to improve the soil. A problem becomes the beginning of a solution. 
 
                                             If you want to produce something, you need a production site. With the help of the team, we could find a piece of land 20 km far from the city of Kerman. The land was bare, only a wall surrounding it and a door to enter. We had to make it ready for betterSoil-Booster production. A List of necessary equipment and materials was made very quickly. 
The team straightened the surface and spread coarse gravel to avoid sinking into the mud when it rains. A tool shed was built for the equipment. In addition, we built a wooden structure with a roof made of palm leaves, which provides shade in the hot summer hours at 30-40°C. 
 
                                                                     This year, the betterSoil team in Iran has started the production of our betterSoil Booster. After collecting biological waste in the city Kerman, the next step is to chop and shred it. Rather wooden parts are turned into biochar. Although it looks simple, our method results in biochar that meets the criteria of the European Biochar Certificate. We get the betterSoil Booster by combining our high-quality biochar with compost from more nutrient rich parts of the biological waste. 
But that’s not the whole story. The betterSoil Booster is rich in nutrients and full of live. Millions of microorganisms, bacteria and fungi thrive in it. We know from our own experience and science that these living creatures cannot wait to hit the ground. Released onto agricultural lands and gardens of our customers they build humus to improve their soils, help plants grow and make our food production more sustainable. Through carefully managing the production process the Booster is of high quality and free from harmful contaminants.
 
                                                                 Soil is the capital of farmers. They know their land, their climate, their plants and trees. At betterSoil, we combine this local, indigenous knowledge with the latest scientific findings. The climate is changing. Rain is less, less frequent and irregular. When it does come, it increasingly rains so much at once that flooding occurs. Good soil is washed away. 
We talk to farmers and combine our four betterSoil principles to deliver the best results for our customers. Our betterSoil Booster combines compost and biochar for more humus formation. Packed with natural living microorganisms, bacteria and fungi, it makes soil come alive again. 
We advise our customers to improve their farming methods so that the soil becomes healthier and the harvest increases. Plants and trees that grow in healthy soil are more resistant to climate change. The slow establishment of agroforestry systems also increases soil fertility, enhances biodiversity, provides shade for plants, and protects the climate.
 
                                                                         A garden is a small paradise. Here we come to rest, relax and recharge our batteries. Especially in Persian culture, gardens are indispensable. The term "paradise" goes back to the fertile gardens of the Persian kings thousands of years ago. 
This year, our betterSoil team helped the first customers in Iran to make their gardens fit for the future. Better soils store more water and don't need to be irrigated as often. Too much salt in the soil is broken down and salinization is prevented. Living soils filter pollutants from the air, which are a particular problem in large cities. This gives gardens a better microclimate. Plants and trees are healthier, grow better and attract insects and birds. Biodiversity in cities increases. Plus, it looks good!
 
 Our donation account: betterSoil e. V. | IBAN: DE24 6309 0100 0416 5970 09 | BIC: ULMVDE66 | Volksbank Ulm-Biberach

Kerman

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betterSoil for a better world is a non-profit recognized organization with legal capacity based in Ulm, Germany with StartUps in Iran, Kenya and Malawi. In our work, the aim is to improve soils according to the guiding principles of soil management, compost, biochar, and agroforestry, and to contribute to the promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030).

betterSoil for a better world

<p>Soil is the largest carbon reservoir on Earth after oceans and a very important element in keeping global warming under 2°C of the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, soil quality improvement for also contributing to the promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is the central focus of betterSoil for a better world, a recognized legal capacity organization based in Ulm, Germany with Start-Ups in Iran, Kenya, and Malawi. Iran, as a country located in a dry region, is experiencing the negative impacts of climate change since a long time, and substantially challenging with the issue of soil improvement. Therefore, in Iran, betterSoil is strongly following the concept of circular economy by transforming biological waste as a problem into a resource as a solution, which is done by manufacturing of betterSoil Booster as a soil amendment product turns waste into nutrients for enhancing soil health. Following this way, the approach of promoting sustainability in practice would be achieved.&nbsp;</p>