The built environment touches all aspects of human life and accounts for 39% of energy-related CO2 emissions, 33% of material consumption, and 25% of land system change. In 2023, the World Green Building Council reported that in order to sustain our current level of global resource demand, we would need 1.75 Earths.

Circular San Antonio’s Built Environment Working Group has a focus on collaboration and pilot project implementation to reverse this trend.

We spearhead action-oriented projects to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of reuse, including public infrastructure, art, temporary installations, and more.

The global food system creates vast amounts of waste and requires an excess of inputs, creating challenges to the health of local ecosystems and communities. As food waste responsible for 6%
of global greenhouse gas emissions (Project Drawdown), our future requires us to prevent uneaten food and recycle inedible waste back into nutrient cycles. 80% of food produced by our farms goes to cities. San Antonio, as a hub of hospitality and food innovation, will drive solutions to global food waste.  

We converge together key stakeholders to identify barriers and opportunities, facilitate productive partnerships, and build capacity to collectively reduce food waste at scale.

This summer, the Circular San Antonio food system expert working group aligned on these desired outcomes:

By 2030, we will move our city toward a circular food system by growing…

• Thought leadership
 
  Our city is the circular food bastion of Texas; we actively share our expertise.

• Love + culture
  We’ve mobilized a culture of hospitality and love for nature and food.

• Deep understanding
  We know the problem inside and out and have clear opinions on best regional solutions.

• Increased engagement
  We’ve cohered a strong, inclusive community voice that continually influences policy and public investment.

• Imagination + innovation
  We’ve embraced and unlocked new value from new or untapped waste streams by mobilizing creative and intellectual communities.

• Activated system
  Circular food practices are made standard and widespread. Businesses are empowered to do the heavy lifting. Loops are systematically closed through increased connectivity and community. Solutions increase access to food and opportunity equitably.

• Evidence
  We’ve made verified impacts against measurable goals.