Philip Marynissen

With the release of the fifth activity book for children, "Dragon's Power Creates Wonders", Sustainable Stories vzw introduces young readers to SDG 12: sustainable consumption and production, in a playful and creative way. This book offers an accessible introduction to the circular economy, focusing not only on knowledge but also on action. Sustainable Stories’ mission is to nurture an entrepreneurial mindset and “skills for the future” in children, such as confidence, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and a focus on sustainability. At VITO, we are thrilled to have once again contributed our expertise and support to this exceptional project.

Can researchers use their knowledge and insight even more actively to address the societal and environmental challenges we face? The answer is 'yes', at least according to researchers from VITO, Lund University and Maastricht University. They see a role for action researchers working directly with companies to accelerate the adoption of the circular economy in companies, industries and value chains.

A car accident is never convenient... Besides all the (administrative) worries, the question arises whether the car can still be repaired and what it will cost. This involves not only the material cost, but also the environmental impact caused by the vehicle repair. However, some repair techniques are more environmentally friendly than others. Expertisebureau Vonck and VITO have therefore developed the Eco Repair Score®. This is a calculation tool that gives a sustainability score from A to E for vehicle repairs.

In the augmented reality game app ResourCity, developed by VITO, you don’t hunt Pokémons with your smartphone, but the chemical elements in your environment. As such, you can discover what fabrics and materials are hidden in the playground, in historical buildings or near businesses, now or in the past. For schools, it is a handy, interactive learning tool, proposed by VITO free of charge. But companies and local authorities can also use the game app to highlight their connection not only with chemistry but also with sustainability and circularity. They can even become ambassadors of one or more elements from the Periodic table.