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Indisposable Live®
Upstream’s livestream series
Current events and information on the circular economy, brought to you live by Upstream’s thought leaders, joined by experts from the movement. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social to hear about upcoming livestreams.
An engaging discussion on deposit return systems (DRS, or "bottle bills"), and why it's important that they incorporate the latest thinking on reuse solutions, funding, and incentives.
A candid discussion addressing successes, challenges, opportunities and calls for more cooperation across sectors to make the New Reuse Economy a reality.
Join Upstream and friends as we explore how best to incorporate waste prevention and reuse into one of the most popular waste policies - Extended Producer Responsibility.
Upstream's new Chief Strategy Officer, Priscilla Johnson, hosts a lively discussion with several reuse thought leaders on the ideation, experimentation and strategies needed to create a shift to a circular economy.
What are the guidelines, standards, and infrastructure required for an effective reuse economy? Join Upstream’s Chief Solutioneer/CEO, Matt Prindiville as he moderates an engaging and informative discussion with three special guests – Amy Larkin and Claudette Juska from PR3 and Olga Kachook from GreenBlue - who are putting the puzzle pieces together , “setting the standard for reuse” and helping to enable businesses to thrive in the growing circular economy.
As fans return to sporting arenas and music lovers celebrate the return of concerts and festivals, sustainability issues at events and venues are coming back into focus – specifically, what to do about the ever-present disposable plastic cup.
Upstream teamed up with the Safer States network to develop more comprehensive foodware reduction policies designed to help us move towards non-toxic reusables and phase out the most problematic chemicals and materials from disposable food packaging. Miriam Gordon from Upstream and Renée Sharp from Safer States present their shared vision for the next generation of foodware policies.
Check out what viewer Edward Wrenn from Pittsburgh called “the best hour and a half I have ever spent!” as Upstream CEO Matt Prindiville interviews reuse entrepreneurs Keiko Niccolini (r.Cup/r.Ware), Lauren Sweeney (DeliverZero), and Paul Liotsakis (Sparkl). Learn how our guests started their businesses, their plans for the future, how they’re adapting – and even thriving – during the pandemic, and how you can help bring their services to your own community
As restaurants move toward reopening, many health experts have been saying plastic food packaging doesn’t provide any better protection against the COVID-19 pandemic – in fact, it presents a significant risk to human health. Leading up to World Health Day on April 7, Upstream held a media briefing to look into another potential global health crisis, this time brought about by plastic and the toxic chemicals in our food packaging.
We teed up a “power hour” for you with three experts working across the political spectrum from federal to state to local policy. Listen to Yinka Bode-George from the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, Judith Enck from Beyond Plastic, and Upstream’s own Miriam Gordon to learn what 2021 holds for plastics policy under the new administration.
In 2016, US plastic waste inputs to coastal environments were among the highest in the world, and the US was the only “developed country” to make the top 20 list of plastic polluters in the world. Join panelists Dr. Jenna Jambeck and Dr. Kara Lavender Law and Matt Prindiville (moderating), Upstream CEO, to discuss this and other staggering stats, and what we can do about it.
How do we uplift marginalized communities in environmental work that impacts them the most? Learn about INTERSECTIONAL ENVIRONMENTALISM and the bridges between climate and racial justice in this rich discussion with Mustafa Santiago Ali, Miriam Torres, and Letise LaFeir (moderating).
Listen to Upstream and three dynamic speakers in an interactive and hopeful conversation about the safety and future of reuse in America. Tom Szaky (Loop), Lindsey Hoell (Dispatch Goods), and Dr. Ben Locwin (infectious disease specialist) discuss how reuse solutions and systems can help save businesses money; get people back to work; protect public health; AND stop plastic pollution & reduce waste.
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.
Even as EPR, DRS and other promising policies involving reuse are being developed, 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.
We dig into this rich topic in Upstream's Feb 15th, 2024 installment of Indisposable Live (our livestream series). Learn from Zero Waste Europe’s Nathan Dufour about the recommendations outlined in ZWE’s "Packaging Refill vs. Packaging Prevention" report, 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.
For a full roundup of links, see our Key Takeaways blog post