Reuse, climate solutions & a just transition
A conversation summary from the Reuse Solutions Network
Upstream’s Reuse Solutions Network (RSN) and its subgroups provide valuable convening spaces for NGOs, entrepreneurs, local organizations, community leaders, and governments working to catalyze reuse. Besides accessing a digital forum for resource sharing and brainstorming, each group meets quarterly to focus on topics relevant to the moment in the world of reuse.
This quarter’s topic for the RSN meeting was “reuse as a climate solution, and its role in a just transition.” Though these meetings are only for members of the RSN, we are happy to share the key learnings and takeaways, since they are so useful for the movement as a whole.
You’ll also find a summary of the Local Deep Dives meeting on reuse messaging here, as well as a summary of the Government Reuse Forum meeting on integrating reuse in Climate Action Plans here. Both are sub-groups of the RSN.
How are plastic, climate change, and environmental justice connected?
So, how does reuse act as a climate solution, and how does it intersect with environmental justice and the just transition? We invited a panel of experts to this summer’s RSN meeting to explore these questions.
For those unfamiliar with the term, a “just transition” is a political and economic power shift from an extractive economy to a just and equitable regenerative economy—and includes up front, integral involvement of the communities most affected in activating this transition.
The Plastics and Climate Project
The meeting began with a presentation by Holly Kaufman from The Plastics and Climate Project. Holly discussed the connection between plastics and climate change, emphasizing that the issue with plastics goes deeper than the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their lifecycle. In fact, current analysis does not account for all of the impact of plastics on our climate. Even many “bio” and "compostable" plastics affect the climate, but it is unclear to what extent. And a number of climate impacts from plastics are not included in any greenhouse gas emissions inventories, climate models, or scenarios, including those published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
We mostly understand the impacts of plastic on the climate at the production and disposal points in its lifecycle. But we fail to understand its impact when it becomes unmanaged waste (e.g. leaks into the environment). There is also evidence that plastic particles interfere with carbon sequestration or cycling and Earth’s radiation budget, but we don’t know the full extent of this impact. The Plastics and Climate Project aims to figure out what we don’t know about plastics’ true and total effect on our climate and broadcast recommendations, findings, and additional needs for research. Learn more and join the newsletter list at https://www.plasticsandclimate.com/
The decarbonization potential of reuse
Continuing on the topic of reuse as a climate solution, we were also joined by Rich Grousset, previously with Eunomia, about the decarbonization potential of reuse. Rich broke down why there has been a gap in understanding the climate benefits of waste reduction: it all boils down to how we calculate emissions.
There are two ways to measure climate emissions. Calculating sector-based emissions is the traditional approach and remains the dominant method today. This approach takes a basic look at the direct emissions from manufacturing and producing goods, energy, etc. But this traditional lens is misleading, and it undermines the role packaging plays in the climate crisis.
Consumption-based, or scope 3, emissions represent an alternative lens for calculating emissions that takes into account not just the impacts of manufacturing goods but all of the embodied carbon they carry with them through their whole lifecycle—including future emissions from their disposal. While governments are increasingly interested in the connection between waste reduction and GHG emissions, it can be hard to see just how powerful reuse can be as a climate solution without taking a consumption-based emissions approach. When we use this lens, it’s clear that the majority of US emissions are embodied in the packaging and products we consume. Unfortunately, scope 3 emissions remain a blind spot for many governments.
Another missed opportunity for reuse is its inclusion in climate action plans, which not only amplifies reuse as a climate solution but also allows reuse projects to be covered by climate grants. While several states have reuse woven into their climate action plans, given its decarbonization potential, it is not as prevalent as we would like to see.
Products & packaging account for the biggest portion of U.S. GHG impacts: 37% counting only emissions from domestic sources (blue bars), and 44% counting the global emissions of goods produced abroad but consumed domestically (red bars).
Sources: Blue: US EPA, Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Materials and Land Management Practices, US EPA 530-R-09-017, September 2009. Red: Joshuah Stolaroff, Packaging and US Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Product Policy Institute, 2009. (Based on EPA data, above.)
A just transition to reuse
Finally, we were joined by Jo Banner from The Descendants Project to discuss reuse and the just transition.
In the River Parishes of Louisiana, sugar cane was historically the primary crop. When plantations wound down, the economic focus of the area became petrochemicals and other heavy industries. There are now 200 industrial plants along the river, 150 of which are tied to petrochemicals and plastic production. To this day, the footprint of the plantations and petrochemical plants are nearly identical. This has led to 9-1000 times higher rates of pollution in this area—depending on the pollutant—and people in the parish of St. John the Baptist being 800 times more likely to get cancer than the average American.
The cumulative impact of all these industries is immense—and is not considered when individual projects are permitted. While petrochemical companies are trying to sell that the industry is part of Louisiana’s culture and identity, Freedom Towns (towns founded by formerly enslaved people) were able to thrive for decades before petrochemicals moved in. They utilized reuse, with glass bottling being one of the economic drivers in the region. These systems existed because they were necessary, and there is a solid argument for returning to them today.
Jo posed a question: What if petrochemical subsidies went to reuse instead? Reuse reduces the burdens of production on fenceline communities and can inspire entrepreneurship and open up new economic opportunities, particularly in impacted areas.
With a just transition, we need to pay attention to how new systems will integrate into the community (including re-implementing reuse in an updated form of infrastructure). The messaging and the system need to match the needs and desires of residents.
For example, while here at Upstream we talk a lot about reusable/refillable packaging, “reuse” can cover a broad spectrum and fit many needs, including “reusing” buildings and building materials. In the South, there is high demand for archeological and historic building restoration work — which offers pathways for careers that can maintain history and culture while benefiting the environment (building new has a much higher carbon footprint than renovating). The Descendent’s Project is actively working on reuse/repurpose projects focused on buildings.
Key takeaways from the RSN
Here’s what we learned from this quarter’s RSN meeting:
The full climate impacts of plastic are not being recorded or reported, including GHGs through the life cycle, carbon cycling and sink impacts, and Earth’s radiation budget.
To really capture the climate benefits of reuse we must measure and track scope 3 emissions (consumption-based emissions).
Given what we know (and don’t know) about the climate and environmental justice impacts of the single-use, throwaway system, reuse reduces the burdens of production on fenceline communities and can inspire entrepreneurship and open up new economic opportunities in these communities.
While benefitting the climate, reuse also has human health, litter reduction, environmental justice, business benefits and more. With a just transition to reuse we need to pay attention to how these benefits will best be leveraged in the community.
Reuse is an opportunity to create new, clean, safe jobs across many sectors — not limited to packaging and foodware. Historical preservation and restoration are important forms of reuse and opportunities for just jobs. We should prioritize the creation of reuse systems and jobs in the communities most burdened by the current system.