Earth Compatible by Katie Morgenroth from Google | Circular Design Summit 2025

How can design help tackle the global e-waste challenge? In this episode, Katie Morgenroth, Head of Sustainable Design at Google, explains how her team works across hardware products like Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit to reduce environmental impact. She shares Google's approach to using recycled materials in metals and textiles, extending software support to make devices last longer, and developing 100% plastic-free packaging. Katie describes the collaborative work with engineers, materials scientists, and supply chain teams needed to redesign products for repairability and durability, and emphasizes the value of sharing design guides and learnings openly. She also talks about using storytelling and exhibitions to make circular design visible, and why embracing “progress over perfection” is essential for industry-wide change. This episode is part of the Circular Design Summit series, a Circularity.fm series in collaboration with the German Design Council.