About Upstream
Upstream drives change toward a robust and enduring reuse economy, with a vision of living in a regenerative, circular, equitable world where people and the planet are treated as indisposable and communities thrive without waste.
Upstream’s vision for the reuse movement
Upstream is guided by a vision of the better alternative: systems which are regenerative, circular, and equitable.
Reuse is a climate change solution. Reuse beats single-use by every environmental measure.
Reuse is economic and workforce development. It creates safe, green, local jobs and keeps resources circulating locally while building community wealth.
Reuse is a sound business practice and $168B market opportunity. It facilitates access to new markets, drives innovation, and saves production and procurement costs.
Reuse is a justice solution. We must account for the intersectionality between the systems built around waste and the devastating effects of those systems on social, economic, and environmental justice.
More reuse means more joy. A circular economy increases human touch points and a sense of well-being and connectedness. Reuse takes care of people and the planet.
Upstream’s Culture & Commitments
Values, Equity & Inclusion, Carbon Footprint
In all our work, we are guided by our values, which we call the 5 “C”s:
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We are keen futurists and joyful problem-solvers. We not only see what is happening now and where the movement needs to go, we map an evidence-based path and make it so. We focus on solutions.
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We are friend-makers. We work together with organizations making reuse the norm. We seek out and invite others to co-create the future we all want. We celebrate and amplify others’ successes.
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We know we have a lot to learn from others and each other, so we seek out experiences and perspectives different from our own. We work to share with one another and align on common ground. We practice accountability, clear and consistent communication and feedback, and compassionate, open listening.
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We recognize the importance and necessity of incorporating equity and justice values into our work. We prioritize the voices and identities that have been underrepresented within our organization’s decision-making, leadership roles, and the wider movement. We also firmly believe that building the new reuse economy is itself inherently a social, economic, and environmental justice (EJ) movement.
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We bring our whole selves to work while maintaining a healthy life/work balance. We are focused and driven to do what’s essential while recognizing what can wait and keeping urgency and stress in check. We acknowledge that we are all humans who desire a happy and passionate workplace, and we approach each other with respect, compassion, ease and kindness.
Commitments to Justice, Equity, Inclusion, Diversity & Anti-Racism
In order to truly realize our vision – to live in a regenerative world where the planet is treated as indisposable and communities thrive – we recognize that the environmental and racial justice movements are inseparable. And the people working to spark solutions need to look like the people living in all the communities we want to serve.
As a predominantly white organization in a historically white movement, we recognize that it will take time, dedicated learning, listening, relationship-building and transforming if we want to meaningfully shift the structural inequities inherent in the larger systems that drive the “throw-away society.”
So while we are committed to sparking sustainable and just solutions, we are also committed to the real work of meaningful change. This work includes public commitment, metrics and accountability toward our goals, and ongoing learning, relationship-building, and allyship. The following reflects these commitments, which are a work in progress, as this work and our learning is ever-evolving and never finished.
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Upstream commits to prioritizing voices and identities that have been underrepresented by using a robust and intentional recruitment process to ensure our job postings and contract opportunities reach underrepresented people.
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Upstream's media platforms will feature voices that are representative of the people of the United States and the rich movements we work in and support.
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Justice, Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Anti-Racism goals are embedded within our project goals and planning – especially with regard to the communities we serve and who benefits from our work.
Upstream’s Carbon Footprint
At Upstream, we know that reuse is a climate solution, but reuse alone cannot solve the climate crisis. If we are to see our way through to a robust and enduring reuse economy, we must take responsibility for our climate impact in as many ways as possible. As a remote team, our primary carbon output is due to travel for speaking engagements, planning retreats, and our on-the-ground implementation work at the Grand Canyon.
Our commitment
We calculate carbon impact when considering each speaking and travel opportunity, weighing it against the influence we could have in accelerating and normalizing reuse.
We try to identify speaking opportunities in or near the cities where our thought leaders live.
We hold in-person team retreats once per year, locating them in hubs where a majority of team members live.
For the trips we decide to prioritize, we calculate the carbon footprint and the offset fee via Atmosfair. We then contribute that money toward our pass-through funding program for reuse coalitions. The more we bolster local coalitions and help them strengthen their presence, the less future need there will be for national and international groups to travel.
Upstream’s carbon impact in 2024: 22.6 Tons
We will provide quarter-by-quarter updates throughout 2025.
Q1 2025: 7.14 Tons
Team
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Cerise Bridges
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Jennifer Carrigan
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Erin Covey-Smith
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Crystal Dreisbach
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Sydney Harris
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Melissa Jung
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Julie Lamy
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Eric Lane
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Stephanie Nunez
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Aishani Pathak
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Kara Stepanik
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Madhavi Trikha
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Macy Zander
Board
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Ashley Craig
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Linda Corrado
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Steven Sherman
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Daniel Velez
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Dana Calder
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Josh Chaitin
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Jon Hinck
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Marion Hunt
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Adam Sharma
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David Stitzhal
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Lauren Daniluk
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Dawn Erlandson
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Mark Hays
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Rose Stephens-Booker
Upstream’s History, Vision & Impact
Articles
Podcasts
How Upstream is working to take reuse to the next level.