Episode 235: The value of informal waste collectors, reusable packaging prevails

Week in Review

Stories discussed this week (4:08).

• It’s time to value waste collectors for their pivotal role in the plastic supply chain
• What does “climate risk” actually mean?
• 7 tips for companies developing reusable packaging

Features

Mainstage highlights from Circularity 20 (15:30)

Last week, GreenBiz hosted Circularity 20, the largest North American conference focused on circular economy issues. We’ll be posting videos for many sessions in mid-September. Meanwhile, here are highlights from five mainstage speakers.

• Circularity and equity in cities: Mark Chambers, director of the mayor’s office of sustainability for New York, and Jose Manuel Moller Dominguez, founder and CEO of Algramo, comment on how brands can participate in motivating systemic change.
• The human dimension of waste collection: Bharati Chaturvedi, founder and director of the Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group in India, and Kieran Smith, co-founder and CEO of Mr. Green Africa, discuss why informal collectors of plastics and recyclables should embrace within formal supply chains — and how to do it.
• Creative disruption: Design thinker TIm Brown, chair of IDEA, discusses the two major models that catalyze systems change.

Thoughts on leadership (25:37)

Trista Bridges and Donald Eubank, co-founders and principals of consultancy Read the Air, chat about their new book, “Leading Sustainably: The Path to Sustainable Business and how the SDGs Change Everything.” You can read an excerpt here.

The state of composting (37:38)

What is so much food still sent to landfills when it could be used for energy or to fertilize crops? Nora Goldstein, editor of Biocycle, chats about the U.S. composting infrastructure.

*Music in this episode by Lee Rosevere: “As I Was Saying,” “Southside,” “And So Then,” “Here’s the Thing,” “Curiosity” and “More On That Later”

*This episode was sponsored by Amazon

Resources galore

Greentech on the red sea. How do we innovate our way out of the climate crisis? Three professors from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology discussing promising solutions in energy and water. Join the webcast at 1 p.m. EDT Sept. 8.

Today’s carbon-negative fuel. Exploring the potential for fleet emissions reductions through renewable natural gas. Register here for the discussion at 1 p.m. EDT Sept. 10.

ESG values and a sustainable future. Why placing environment, social and governance principles at the center of COVID-19 recovery places makes sense for resilience and the bottom line. Sign up for the interactive session at 1 p.m. EDT Sept. 15.

Action plus ambition. How leading companies, including Microsoft, approach audacious sustainability goals. Register for the discussion at 1 p.m. EDT Sept. 17.

Safety and performance in recycled plastics. UL and HP Inc. share strategies and insights in this conversation at 1 p.m. EDT Sept. 22.

Inside The Climate Pledge. Senior executives from Amazon, Global Optimism and Verizon share insights on why collaborative corporate action on the climate crisis is more critical than ever. Join us during Climate Week at noon EDT Sept. 24.

Clean air in California? It’s easier than you think. Hear from the California Air Resources Board, the city of Oakland and Neste in this session at 1 p.m. EDT Oct. 1.

State of the Profession. Our sixth report examining the evolving role of corporate sustainability leaders. Download it here.

The State of Green Business 2020. Our 13th annual analysis of key metrics and trends published here.

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The GreenBiz Intelligence Panel is the survey body we poll regularly throughout the year on key trends and developments in sustainability. To become part of the panel, click here. Enrolling is free and should take two minutes.

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