Afleveringen
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In this conversation, we dig into how reuse contributes to workforce development and economic opportunity - now and for future generations. Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Matthew Luisier of r.World, a fast-growing reuse service provider, and Natasha Wayne with Reaching All Minds Academy, a charter school that has taken on the challenge of switching back to reusables as part of its STEM through sustainability educational mission. With recent data showing that reuse creates more and safer jobs than landfills and recycling â we ground this data in the stories of two people helping manage the shift to a reuse economy in very different ways.
Resources:
r.WorldReaching All Minds AcademyThe Role of Reuse in a Just TransitionReuse vs Single-use: EconomicsGet involved:
Join the Reuse Solutions NetworkSupport Upstream to make sure these stories continue to be heard and the reuse economy continues to grow â thank you! -
In the last few years, weâve seen a big step-up from sports & entertainment venue leaders around the US to build reuse programs for arena and stadium concessions. Christy Briggs, Sustainability Manager for Lumen Field & the Seattle Seahawks and Mary McCarthy, VP of Sustainability for Levy Restaurants â hospitality provider to 350+ major venues â discuss some of the latest developments, next steps, and ongoing challenges when it comes to building a world of entertainment without the waste.
Resources:
Episode 159: A reuse playbook for stadiumsUpstreamâs Wash Hub MapGet involved:
Join the Reuse Solutions NetworkSupport Upstream to make sure these stories continue to be heard and the reuse economy continues to grow â thank you! -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Isabel Mack, creator of Party Kit Network, and Toni Mason with Bull City Boomerang Bags to talk about the power of community-focused, non-policy reuse initiatives. Especially for those living in areas where it is difficult to enact policy, thereâs still plenty you can do to engage in local change-making. Listen in for some stories of the challenges and joys of turning good ideas into organized local waste-reducing endeavors, and leave inspired to turn your own good ideas into meaningful action.
Resources:
Party Kit NetworkBull City Boomerang BagsJoin the REAL sharing economy with a Library of ThingsEpisode 7: The Creative Power of Limits Grounds Krewe for Mardi GrasGet Involved:
Join the Reuse Solutions NetworkSupport Upstream to make sure these stories continue to be heard and the reuse economy continues to grow â thank you! -
As packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) gets off the ground across the US, the time is right to shine a spotlight on reuse. Upstreamâs newest position paper breaks down exactly what to expect of a best-in-class producer responsibility organization (PRO) when it comes to supporting and planning for a transition to reusable packaging systems within EPR programs. This rebroadcast of a recent livestream covers key points from the paper and features a lively discussion with public policy expert Elizabeth Balkan, plus Emmaneulle Bautista and Valentin Fournel, special guests from Citeoâa French packaging PRO poised to launch a large-scale reusable packaging program with its member brands.
Resources:
Position Paper: Embracing reuse in EPR packaging programsLivestream recordingUpstreamâs presentation deckCITEOâs presentation deck More information about CITEOâs programThe state of EPR policy in the USDefining âreuseâ in the policy contextReuse service providers in the US & CanadaZero Waste Europe: European Reuse BarometerGet Involved:
Join the Reuse Solutions NetworkSupport Upstream to make sure these stories continue to be heard and the reuse economy continues to grow â thank you! -
Switching K-12 schools to reusables in their cafeterias is a focus for many in the reuse movement: itâs a win-win-win for improving childrenâs health, educating and empowering the community around sustainability issues, and providing an impressive ROI for school administrators. That said, no change is easy, and barriers such as up-front funding, dishwashing, and staffing are real challenges. Thankfully, Amber Schmidt from ReThink Disposable and Ben Schleifer from Center for Environmental Health have hands-on experience in surmounting these barriers, and in this discussion they share some key insights for getting reuse into schools.
Enjoy this recording of the January Reuse Solutions Network meeting, and check out the resources below if youâd like to join the RSN yourself.
Resources:
Join the Reuse Solutions NetworkReThink DisposableCenter for Environmental HealthWashington Post: Most US schoolchildren toss their lunch trays every dayCase studies on reuse in schoolsMore Indisposable Podcast episodes about reuse in schoolsThe Indisposable Podcast is brought to you by Upstream, which is a non-governmental organization. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to make sure these stories continue to be heard and the reuse economy continues to grow.
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As Dr. Manasa Mantravadi, pediatrician and founder of the reusable foodware company AhimsaÂź, points outâschools need data to make decisions. The Conscious Cafeteria Report, produced by Upstream and Ahimsa, is the latest evidence-based study projecting the environmental and financial impact of switching to reuse in K-12 schools, while robustly making the case for transitioning away from single-use foodware to protect children's health. Upstreamâs Macy Zander sits down with Dr. Mantravadi and Data Science Specialist Madhavi Trikha to break down the findings of the report as well as challenges and opportunities inherent in switching to reuse for schools. Spoiler alert: across geographies, demographics, and school set-upsâreuse wins, every time.
Resources:
The Conscious Cafeteria Reportahimsaschools.com ReThink Disposable Case Study: Palo Alto School DistrictCenter for Environmental Health (CEH)StopWaste Plastic Free RestaurantsReuse for Onsite Dining LibraryReuse Solutions Network (RSN) -
Innovation in healthcare is no easy feat, as we learn in this conversation with Russell Gong, Co-founder and President of Cabinet Health. The fast-growing B-Corp on a mission to eliminate single-use plastic in medicine is starting by confronting the challenge of billions of disposable plastic pill bottles used annually in this country, with first-in-class models for reusable and refillable bottles. Russ and Brooking talk shop about the challenges, opportunities, metrics and more for getting plastic out of medicine.
Resources:
cabinethealth.com -
Plastic Free MKE (Milwaukee) leaders Leah Holloway of Milwaukee Riverkeeper and Meenal Atre of the Urban Ecology Center share the story of this city-level coalitionâs success in reducing plastic pollution in a state that doesnât allow for policies banning âauxiliary containersâ (e.g. plastic packaging). From loophole-focused policy wins to a Lake Friendly dining program, the insights from our guests are a great primer for anyone interested in starting a reuse coalition in their community.
Resources:
Plastic-Free MKEEpisode 171: Bans on BansThe ReusiesJoin or start a community coalition -
The Conservative States & Provinces groupâa subgroup of the Reuse Solutions Networkâ brings together advocates from areas where it is harder to pass policy so they can share and troubleshoot ways to advance reuse despite the obstacles. And one major barrier folks living in conservative states often face is preemption, aka âbans on bans.â If a town wants to pass a Skip the Stuff ordinance, for instance, a state with certain pre-emption laws could override it. This is a reality that impacts many living in more conservative jurisdictions and directly hinders the ability to pass local policy on plastics and packaging.
This discussion from a recent meeting of the Conservative States & Provinces subgroup covers preemption more broadly and its implications for reuse policy; how it looks in different states; strategies for challenging it; and lessons learned from experienced panelists: Randy Moorman of Eco-Cycle in Colorado, Emma Haydocy of Surfrider in Florida, and Jeremy Drake of MT Plastic Free Missoula in Montana.
Resources:
Reuse Solutions NetworkEco-cycleSurfrider FloridaMT Plastic Free MissoulaUpstreamâs Policy TrackerReuse Coalitions & Groups -
Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Jessica Gonzalez, founder of Happen Ventures, to talk about their creative reuse business logistics services that solve waste problems, support communities, and creates a new climate-conscious business niche in the circular economy. From redistributing truckloads of unused PPE headed for the trash to connecting amputees to single shoes from display windows, learn about some scrappy match-making between excess product and unexpected markets that has diverted over 80,000 tons of usable products from landfill to date.
Resources:
Happen Ventures Tax Savings Calculator -
Hear the inspiring story of Maryland Department of Agingâs Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Reuse Program, one of the winners of the 2024 Reusies Community of the Year Award. Program director Ian Edwards sits down with host Brooking Gatewood to share their recipe for success in reusing wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and more in Marylandâand how other states can follow suit to improve lives while saving money, carbon, and landfill waste.
Resources:
aging.maryland.govthereusies.org -
Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN) has been cooking up some serious systemic change strategies for college campus reuse programs. As a follow up to last Fallâs episode 140, we check in with Atlas Program staff Lisa Smart plus students Abby White and Katin Kendrana to talk about the latest developments in this long-term strategic initiative to transform reuse in campus dining across the country.
Resources:
PLAN's Atlas ProgramReusable To-Go ManualReusable To-Go ROI Calculation Course infoEpisode 140: A higher education in reuseThe Reusies -
When Leslie Bateman left New York City, she was shocked to discover how hard it was to find shoe repair in her new town. A new business, Coblrshop, was born when she met business operations maven Emily Watts, and together they set out to modernize how cobblers and customers connect. Join us for a candid chat about the challenges and joys of building the leather repair start-up that, less than two years into operations, impressed our Reusies Judges enough to land the win for Most Innovative Company in Fashion & Apparel at The Reusies 2024.
Resources:
https://www.coblrshop.com/https://getcoblr.com/www.thereusies.org -
Christiana Dujardin, who works within the Materials & Circular Economy Platform at Systemiq, served as lead analyst on a 2023 Ellen MacArthur Foundation report all about returnable reusable packaging and its economic and environmental impact compared to single-use, called Unlocking A Reuse Revolution - Scaling Returnable Packaging. She sits down with guest host, Upstreamâs Policy Director Sydney Harris, to share key insights from the report on how we might design a returnable packaging system that can compete economically, environmentally and experientially with single-use.
Resources:
Unlocking a Reuse Revolution - paper overview and downloadReuse Solutions Network meeting summaryJoin the Reuse Solutions NetworkSystemiq -
How are reuse, climate change, and environmental justice related? In intricate and myriad ways, it turns outâwhich guests Holly Kaufman of the Plastics & Climate Project, circular economy expert Rich Grousset, and Jo Banner of the Descendants Project explore in depth in this recording of the summer Reuse Solutions Network (RSN) meeting.
Resources:
Sign up for the RSNThe Plastics and Climate ProjectThe Circularity Gap ProjectEllen MacArthur Foundation, Butterfly Diagram: Visualizing the Circular EconomyThe Descendants ProjectPlastics: The costs to society, the environment, and the economyThe Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health -
Learn about the growth and evolution of a small community group that is a force for change in Upstate New Yorkâtaking on issues from artificial turf to BYO campaigns, to Skip the Stuff legislation. It is this latter action that spurred Yayoi Koizumi, founder of Zero Waste Ithaca and co-founder of BYO-US Reduces, to contact Upstream for help in making the case for Skip the Stuff. Leveraging our powerful software tool, Chart-Reuse, we were able to crunch the numbers to create localized data and show that, for example, $32000 could be saved in waste hauling and 350 tons of trash prevented from landfills if foodservice businesses refrained from handing out unnecessary single-use utensils, napkins, straws, etc. Yayoi and guest host Cerise Bridges discuss the power of good data in influencing businesses and legislatorsâplus insights into the ongoing barriers and challenges in making change.
Resources:
Zero Waste IthacaCampaign against artificial turf at Cornell BYO-US ReducesChart-ReuseZero Waste ChefSkip the Stuff campaign materialsEpisode 160: From cafeteria to community: students launch reuseChart-Reuse Case Studies -
Upstream CEO Crystal Dreisbach sits down with host Brooking Gatewood to talk about her first year on the job, about Upstreamâs strategic vision refresh, and some exciting new tools and model projects in the works to help build infrastructure and normalize reuse in the years to come.
Resources:
Upstreamâs Strategic VisionPutting Reuse into Practice The National Park Foundation ProjectThe ReX PrizePodcast: The Reuse Playbook for StadiumsPodcast: Upstream CEOs pass the baton -
Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Manuela Zoninsein, the CEO & Founder of Kadeya, winner of the Most Innovative Company in the Food and Beverage category for the 2024 Reusies. Learn the secret to Kadeyaâs 99% bottle return rate, and how their patented closed-loop beverage system can eliminate single-use bottles forever while saving GHGs, eliminating threats from microplastics and unstable supply chains, and increasing worker hydration.
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www.thereusies.orgwww.kadeya.comwww.plasticfreejuly.org -
Upstream was recently at GreenBizâs Circularity 24 conference in Chicago, where as part of The Reusies, we organized a special panel discussion on the âsecret sauceâ to scaling circular systems. Bringing together thought leaders from multiple corners of the reuse and circular economy movement, Upstreamâs CEO Crystal Dreisbach engaged panelists in a rich discussion about the key ingredients to make reuse an irresistible dish. Tune into this recording to learn from Caroline Vanderlip, Founder & CEO at Re:Dish; Elizabeth Balkan, Director of ReLoop North America; Jennie Romer, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention at the US EPA; and Nicole Cerroni, VP of Sustainability at LâOreal.
Resources:
Watch the video recording of the panelRe:DishReLoopLâOrealThe Reusies -
When you hear the expression âthe kids are alright,â itâs referring to Sophie Horvath and Joshua Swift-Rawal, students at Berkeley High School in California. The friends noticed that a lot of their favorite restaurants were using single-use products, despite new reuse laws in their city, and they decided to do something about it. They started a project to launch a reusable container pilot at their school, with a vision of expanding city-wide. Sophie and Josh share how they navigated working with city and school officials to make the case for reuse, lessons they learned, and inspiring insights to help others bring reuse to their schools and communities.
Resources:
About the Reusable Container Pilot ProgramMore about the Berkeley Disposable Foodware PolicyEpisode 113: Introducing Chart-Reuse - Laat meer zien
