The Indisposable Podcast®
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155 episodes
The coalition Reusable LA has been actively advocating for a number of years on several policies pertaining to waste reduction and plastic pollution, including the switch to reuse for onsite dining. Upstream's Macy Zander interviews Reusable LA's co-leads, Alison Waliszewski of 5 Gyres and Emily Parker of Heal the Bay, to hear their key tips for advocates working on this topic. RESOURCES: __ __
Even as we see increased momentum behind EPR, DRS and other policies involving reuse, the definitions of “reuse” are scattered and often ill-conceived. Now is the time to properly define reusable packaging—and especially differentiate between returnable and refillable packaging—in the policy context. Tune into this re-cast of Indisposable Live® (Upstream’s livestream series) to learn from Zero Waste Europe’s Nathan Dufour about the recommendations outlined in ZWE’s, as well as from Oceana’s Matt Littlejohn about global examples of reuse at scale. Upstream’s Policy Director and discussion moderator Sydney Harris explains the different types of reuse, offers some do’s and don’ts within the policy landscape, and shares Upstream’s own recommended definition of reuse—in hopes of moving us all forward in passing truly effective reuse policy. RESOURCES: __ __
Dr Lisa Erdle of the 5 Gyres Institute sits down with host Brooking Gatewood to talk about 5 Gyre’s recent Better Alternatives 3.0 report, covering their latest research into how well “compostable” and “biodegradable” plastics break down in various environments, potential pitfalls, promising contenders, and the role of smart material science and composting infrastructure as we transition toward a reuse economy. RESOURCES: __ __
Learn about some of the most innovative reuse design work happening today with Ellie Moss and Dr. Dagny Tucker, the co-founders of Perpetual. Just two years in, Perpetual is laying foundations for long-term systems change to implement reusable foodware infrastructure in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Hilo, Hawaii; Galveston, Texas; and Savannah, Georgia. They share key early insights about sustainable city-scale reuse planning, funding, and more. RESOURCES: __ __
Listen in for our second discussion in this series on a Just Transition and its implications for the reuse economy—featuring highlights from a recent Alternative Economy report put out by the Center for Biological Diversity plus the INC-3 meetings in Nairobi. Guests Marcel Howard and Jessica Roff from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives and Kelley Dennings with the Center for Biological Diversity provide deep insight into the importance of language; the models for regenerative economies that exist right now; what they are excited about for the near future—and more. RESOURCES: __ __
A Just Transition to reuse focuses on putting people and planet first — so simple in theory, and not at all easy in practice. But we can all help amplify the stories that spotlight green jobs and best practices for a transition that include those who have been most marginalized by our throw-away economy. Listen in for a rich discussion with Brett Nadrich from Break Free From Plastic, Marcel Howard from the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, and Adoma Addo with the Center for Biological Diversity (now with Milken Institute)—originally recorded as part of a Reuse Solutions Network meeting in August, 2023. And stay tuned for next week’s follow-up episode on this nuanced topic. RESOURCES: __ __
Did you know? Just $28 worth of stainless steel forks can wipe out 5040 of their single-use counterparts in a school cafeteria. That’s how, one dollar at a time over the last 3 years, Plastic Free Restaurants has eliminated 9 million pieces of plastic from dining institutions around the country. Executive Director John Charles Meyer inspires us with this progress while being candid about the challenges of running a non-profit that subsidizes schools and restaurants to switch to reuse. When we first chatted with John Charles, things were just getting going again after Covid lockdowns, and momentum around reuse and reuse policy has really taken off since then. Guest host, Upstream’s Macy Zander, welcomes him back to see what lessons he’s learned, what trends he’s seeing, and how we can all work together to move reuse forward. RESOURCES: __ __
Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with some of the leaders of Reuse Seattle, which won The Reusies 2023 Community Action of the Year “Building Reuse” award. Zero Waste thought leaders McKenna Morrigan of Seattle Public Utilities and Moji Igun of Blue Daisi consulting walk us through the systemic approach the city has taken to build reuse into everyday life in Seattle—from a public BYO campaign and start-up funding for businesses switching to reuse, to model policies and zero waste beer gardens at major music events, and more. Tune in to learn about this inspiring case study for all cities looking to make throw-away go away. Also check out episode 93 for Matt Prindiville’s conversation last year with two other Reuse Seattle visionaries in this effective public-private collaboration, Pat Kaufman at Seattle Public Utilities and Stephanie Thomas of Cascadia Consulting. RESOURCES: __ __
The healthcare worker’s mandate of “first, do no harm” make reducing single-use waste in medical facilities a no-brainer. But as Dan Vukelich, President of the Association of Medical Device Reprocessors, illuminates—the sector with health at its heart is also a top polluter. Dan has made an impactful 20+ year career of providing hospital managers and policy makers with the tools to reduce costs, waste, and greenhouse emissions through the safe reuse of "single-use" medical devices. And it will come as no surprise to anyone working to foster reuse in any sector that his data shows medical device reuse is hands-down better for people, the planet, and the bottom line. RESOURCES: __ __
Upstream, née the Product Policy Institute, was founded on October 27th, 2003. Twenty years later, as the reuse movement continues to grow, Upstream’s COO & Chief Friendmaker Julie Lamy sits down with our longest standing board member, David Stitzhal—a.k.a Stitz—to reminisce and look ahead. From Upstream’s roots focused on packaging policy, to our pivots during Covid, to the increasing, global focus on reuse—Stitz shares his insights on working “upstream” both with the organization and in the broader movement. RESOURCES: __ __
Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with leaders from The Reusies 2023 Most Innovative Fashion & Apparel Company, The Renewal Workshop by Bleckmann. Nicole Bassett, co-Founder of The Renewal Workshop (TRW) and now Circularity Lead at Bleckmann—which acquired TRW in 2022—and Chief Business Development Officer Jurrie-Jan Tap discuss the history and exciting future of this successful clothing renew-and-resell program. Listen in to learn about how Bleckmann is helping surmount challenges and scale reuse for the apparel industry. RESOURCES: __ __
Upstream Policy Director and this episode’s guest host, Sydney Harris, sits down with Judy Hilton, a reuse and sustainability consultant and researcher, and co-author of the recent groundbreaking report . The report came about as a collaborative effort between Break Free From Plastic and the University of Portsmouth’s Global Plastics Policy Centre (which Judy helped develop). It outlines the stages which will enable the transition away from single-use plastic so reuse systems can scale and was presented at this spring’s Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Paris, INC-2. The report makes the case that the Treaty presents a key opportunity to set out the foundations of reuse systems. Learn more as Sydney and Judy dive deep on Judy’s research and what it implies for reuse policy, standards, and more. RESOURCES: __ __
Host Brooking Gatewood talks shop with Caroline Vanderlip, Founder and CEO of Re:Dish, one of the hottest new businesses for reuse and game-changing innovation this year. With award-winning design for warewashing machines and software, Re:Dish works with companies, municipalities, schools, venues, and more to help scale reuse, one city at a time. Tune in to learn more about their business model, early hurdles, and dreams for growth. RESOURCES: __ __
Fifty years of data on deposit return system (DRS) laws (or “bottle bills”) in the U.S. demonstrate that these programs effectively boost collection and recycling rates, create opportunities and jobs in local economies, prevent roadside litter and plastic pollution, and catalyze reuse. What is the importance of reuse in DRS, and how can DRS policies incorporate the latest thinking on reuse solutions, funding, and incentives? Learn more about this and recent policy wins across the country in our latest installation of Indisposable Live: How US Bottle Bills are Accelerating Reuse. Special guest panelists include Susan Collins, President of the Container Recycling Institute; Sarah Nichols, Sustainable Maine Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine; and Peter Spendelow, Natural Resource Specialist at Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality. They will showcase the distinct ways that California, Oregon, and Maine have begun to incorporate reuse/refill into their bottle bills. RESOURCES: __ __ __
In this installment of our Back to School Series, we head to college dining halls with Alex Freid, Founder & Director of Atlas Zero Waste Strategy at Post-Landfill Action Network. Alex and Brooking talk with two student leaders from Atlas’ fellowship program—Emily Johnson from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and Kailei Wedge at the University of New Hampshire— about their hands-on learning experiences and what they are doing to surmount some of the biggest challenges of switching to reuse, on campus and beyond. RESOURCES: __ __
As part of our back to school series, this episode focuses on how K-12 schools are re-learning reuse, featuring Sasha Palmer and Rebecca Salguero of Brookline Massachusetts Public Schools, and Ben Schleifer of the Center for Environmental Health Food Program. They sit down with host Brooking Gatewood to dig into the Why, the How, and the lessons learned in making throw-away go away from school lunches. RESOURCES: __ __
To kick off a new “back to school” series, we begin with the student perspective – those who will be, and in many ways already are, leading the reuse movement. Host Macy Zander sits down with Bay Area high school students Amanda Yu (Stanford Online High School), Kaavya Baliga (Menlo School), and Eileen Liu (Menlo-Atherton High School), who are each deeply involved in reuse and sustainability efforts at their schools and in their communities. If the stories of their successes and challenges sound familiar, it’s because they’re doing work that is just as impactful and sophisticated as anyone else in the space – building coalitions, working with elected officials to pass legislation, and educating others on why it’s so important that we take action now. Hear what they’ve learned – and what they have to teach us. RESOURCES: __ __
Upstream’s previous CEO Matt Prindiville makes a special return as podcast host in order to “pass the baton” to our new CEO – and Matt’s longtime friend – Crystal Dreisbach. Crystal is a Solutioneer whose life goal is to disrupt the status quo of our throw-away economy. With over 13 years of executive leadership experience in developing solutions that prevent waste, her goal is to help shift our economy to one that is just, sustainable, and builds resilient communities. Listen to this in-depth conversation to learn more about Crystal’s journey with reuse, her science-minded approach to reuse solutions, and her vision for the movement as Upstream starts a new chapter in its 20th year—and a little about what Matt is up to, as well! RESOURCES: __ __
Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with G.L., founder of Generation Conscious, which won The Reusies 2023 Most Innovative Reuse Company in Consumer Packaged Goods. Since 2021, Generation Conscious has been laying the ground-work for a student-centered, hygiene-equity focused business that is saving carbon and avoiding single-use waste through campus-based laundry soap refill stations. Learn more about the incredible innovations coming out of this first-generation, Black-led company that employs local labor, trains students in organizing and fundraising, reinvests surplus profits into BIPOC and queer-led fellowships, and ensures economic success is shared by workers. RESOURCES: __ __
In this insightful episode, host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Lara Seng, Senior Sustainable Living Manager with Sodexo North America. They go behind the scenes into corporate organizing and strategic pilots to discuss how this Fortune 500 company is taking on the challenges of shifting to reuse at a massive scale. Sodexo, with Lara’s guidance, has been one of the longest running partners and Beta-testers of Chart Reuse, Upstream’s first-in-industry foodware reuse analytics platform. Learn how Sodexo is working toward greater sustainability, and how Chart Reuse helps highlight the huge environmental and economic opportunity of reuse for institutional change. RESOURCES: __ __
Listen back to the latest installment of our livestream series, Indisposable Live®. This one was actually held live, following The Reusies 2023, which was showcased this year at Circularity 23 in Seattle. The Reusies highlighted the theme of cooperation and collaboration needed among different sectors (corporations, investors, NGO/non-profits, communities and government) when implementing and scaling reuse models to build and grow a thriving New Reuse Economy. Representatives from each sector then engaged in a powerful discussion about the successes, challenges, opportunities and collaboration needed to make this collective vision of a new reuse world a reality. Moderated by Dr. Priscilla Johnson, Chief Strategy Officer at Upstream, panelists include: __ __ RESOURCES: __ __
Alejandra Warren, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Plastic Free Future, focuses on the power of kindness and collective action for social change that protects the planet. The impact of her collaborative work in the reuse community is widely recognized via policy victories in California, nation-wide coalition-building, and most recently at the INC-2 negotiations in Paris. She was also the winner of The Reusies Activist of the Year 2022 award. Alejandra joins host Brooking Gatewood for a candid conversation about inclusive organizing for a waste-free world, with an approach that focuses on joy; celebrating the inherent wisdom in community; and extending a circle of compassion to all of nature. RESOURCES: __ __
World Refill Day is a global day of action to prevent plastic pollution and help people live with less waste. Last year the campaign reached 80 countries and 100 million people, and for this year’s event on June 16th, UK-based City to Sea and partners are aiming even higher: launching the Global Reuse Summit and envisioning a circular future where reuse & refill are the norm. Join City to Sea’s veteran campaign leads Jo Morley, Head of Marketing and Campaigns, and Steve Hynd, Media and Policy Manager, to learn more about the origins and mission behind World Refill Day—then heed their advice and head to the pub to celebrate with the age-old reuse system of a good pint! RESOURCES: __ __
Tim Wolters is a modern-day “Renaissance Man” of the tech world and co-founder and CEO of CrowdSolve, a startup platform that combines technology and human-to-human collaboration to advance innovative climate solutions. CrowdSolve uses machine learning to help select the climate innovations with the highest potential for impact and momentum, an algorithm that host Dr. Priscilla Johnson aptly equates to a “dating app for climate entrepreneurs.” Join Tim and Priscilla as they delve into the parallels between climate and reuse solutioneering—including the importance of scale; maintaining quality of life to spark further change; and the necessity of collaboration, ideation, and innovation to forge a better future. RESOURCES: __ __
How can we begin to address mistakes we have made in the past and design a more sustainable future? How can we build bridges rather than putting up walls between one another? Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali, world-renowned thought-leader, strategist, activist – and 2023 Reusies judge – to explore these profound questions and how they relate to climate justice and equity. While some answers lie in science, practical action and policy, Dr. Ali reminds that grace, love and an appreciation of our shared humanity all play a vital role. RESOURCES: __ __
With growing recognition that the fashion & apparel industry is a large contributor to our waste crisis, we are fortunate to have creative minds working on practical solutions – many of them incorporating reuse models. Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Lewis Perkins, President of the Apparel Impact Institute and 2023 Reusies judge, to explore these opportunities, which his organization is helping to build and bring to fruition. With decades of experience in cradle-to-cradle solutions for textiles and apparel, Lewis shares a bit of his story, some of the more exciting sustainable developments in carpet and clothing – such as scaling impact through pooled funding – and why being a Reusies Judge lights him up! RESOURCES: __ __
As part of its environmental portfolio, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) engages companies, policy makers and players across the plastics value chain to ensure an effective waste management system for plastic. As Plastic and Material Science Program Specialist at WWF, Jess Zeuner is dedicated to helping achieve their ambitious vision of “No Plastic in Nature by 2030” – with reuse as an essential solution area. She sits down with host Dr. Priscilla Johnson to discuss how WWF is helping companies translate their plastic commitments into measurable change, the collaboration needed to create a circular future, and what inspired her to be a judge for The Reusies 2023. Resources: __ __
Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) does tremendous work to serve the global community of entrepreneurs focused on ocean sustainability with funding, mentorship, capacity-building, and more. Their accelerator program has supported 45 world-leading ocean tech startups with $225M in lifetime funding. And Camila Vega, Solutions Portfolio Manager at SOA, draws on her wealth of experience as a founder, operations executive, and community organizer to help nurture these startups that are embracing bold solutions to plastic pollution. She joins host Brooking Gatewood to discuss community-powered innovation, human-centered design, and why technology alone is insufficient to address our waste crisis. RESOURCES: __ __
With a background in waste management, Anita Schwartz, VP at environmental consulting company WSP, is only too aware of the massive carbon footprint embedded in our systems of extraction and production of goods. And she’s also taking a close look at the many indirect sources of carbon emissions created every step of the way to the landfill – what are known as “scope 3 emissions.” Along with host Dr. Priscilla Johnson, Anita discusses how companies can become more sustainable by reimagining their supply chains. And she explains another important but overlooked “r”, redistribute – a concept critical to ensuring a just and equitable transition to a circular economy. Anita also shares her fascination with the innovative business models emerging in the reuse space that drew her to serve as a judge for The Reusies 2023. RESOURCES: __ __
Raise your glasses to send a warm but bittersweet farewell to our beloved CEO and podcast host Matt Prindiville. In this episode, we talk about the rare opportunity that compelled him to leave Upstream so he could help build reuse infrastructure in the private sector. Join us to reminisce about some key moments and favorite aspects of Matt’s 12+ year history helping lead the Upstream team and the reuse movement. RESOURCES: __ __
