Author: Bonnie Betts

What’s New in 2022 for the CA Bottle Bill, 6/22

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This month will feature Susan Collins, President of the Container Recycling Institute, and Jeff Donlevy of Ming’s Recycling. Together they will give updates happening in their world and speak on the updates for the CA Bottle Bill.

Updates to discuss:

  • The effort to include wine and spirits containers
  • CalRecycle announcement last week about more money for redemption centers
  • The political interplay and competition between a flawed EPR bill, SB 54, and a ballot initiative pushed by Recology

The Recycling Archives will present readings from one of the pioneers of resource recovery. This month, Susan Kinsella, director of the Recycling Archives, will revisit Chicago’s Ken Dunn, an early adopter of community buyback centers who has reported recent and disturbing disruptions to his business.

Contact NCRA to learn more about ZWAC and get involved https://ncrarecycles.org/about/contact/

Reuse Business Models For A Zero Waste World, 5/22

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Guests: Amy Golan

Recycling Pioneer: Gary Liss

A Zero Waste revolution will require a Zero Waste economy with sustainable businesses. In this episode of the ZWAC show, the members discuss retail reusable goods with Amy Golan of Planet Renu.

The Recycling Archives featured Gary Liss founder of an exhaustive list of Zero Waste organizations and a key figure in defining Zero Waste internationally. 

Contact NCRA to learn more about ZWAC and get involved https://ncrarecycles.org/about/contact/

Call to Action Right to Repair in CA, 4/22

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Guests: Jenn Engstrom and Elizabeth Chamberlain

Recycling Pioneer: Warren Snow

Right to Repair is a movement that seeks to empower consumers with the ability to fix products themselves. It stands in opposition to the prevailing ‘design-for-landfill’ zeitgeist that makes repairing your own technology next to impossible. The ZWAC delves into the past, present, and future of this movement in California and illustrates how essential it is to the success of recycling. 

The committee interviews Jenn Engstrom, State Director of CALPIRG, and Elizabeth Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability for iFixit to introduce us to fascinating perspectives on the Right to Repair. 

The Recycling Archives featured the person most responsible for the first country-wide commitment to Zero Waste, New Zealand’s Warren Snow.

Contact NCRA to learn more about ZWAC and get involved https://ncrarecycles.org/about/contact/

NCRA Superheroes Stories, 3/22

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In this episode, the committee highlights five of the most important stories in NCRA’s history, ahead of the upcoming in person Recycling Update (the first in over 3 years). The dramatic tales of courtroom battles, stopping landfill expansion, saving recycling itself. Joining in the telling of the stories were former NCRA Board members David Tam and Steve Lautze.

The Recycling Archives featured long time NCRA Board Member Kathy Evans of Community Conservation Centers and the Berkeley Ecology Center.

Contact NCRA to learn more about ZWAC and get involved https://ncrarecycles.org/about/contact/

Is It Greenwashing? Sana Packaging, 1/22

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Guests: Ron Basak-Smith

Recycling Pioneer: Mary Lou Van Deventer

Greenwashing is a controversial term used to describe firms that seek the benefits of “eco-friendly” marketing without truly engaging with efforts to make the world economy more sustainable. In this episode of the ZWAC show, committee members interview Ron Basak-Smith of Sana Packaging, who make ostensibly environmentally friendly packaging for Cannabis products in California. The unique requirements of this packaging make a recycled and sustainable solution difficult, but Sana claims that using recycled floating ocean plastic, they can significantly improve the sustainability of the industry. This fascinating interview features tough questions from knowledgeable advocates in a truly special field of environmentalism. 

 

As an ardent advocate against greenwashing, the Recycling Archives featured Mary Lou Van Deventer of Urban Ore, Inc.

 

Contact NCRA to learn more about ZWAC and get involved https://ncrarecycles.org/about/contact/