A series exploring what it means to co-create an equitable reuse economy

Working together with governments, businesses, non-profit organizations and community groups toward a healthier environment and communities has been a central tenet of Upstream’s work for many years. Though everyone we work with is in some way focused on reducing single-use waste, we do not all confront the issues in the same ways or even agree on what the problems are: Some organizations believe the focus should be on stopping plastic production completely, others believe it's important to pressure financial institutions that support the petrochemical industry, while others focus on building reuse systems. 

One thing we all agree on is the transition to a new sustainable economy must be fair, accessible, inclusive and just. At Upstream, we know reuse is an intrinsic part of the conversation and plays a crucial role in this transition—but we’ve come to realize, we’ve not yet explicitly stated how and why this is so. 

In the context of global environmental and social challenges, the concept of a just transition has emerged as essential for guiding the shift toward a low-carbon, sustainable economy. As industries face increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions and achieve climate goals, the reuse economy is gaining momentum as a key solution. A just transition focuses on creating opportunities for the most impacted communities, ensuring that new green jobs are accessible, and providing support for workers displaced by the shift to sustainable practices. By building reuse into the framework of a just transition, we can create a more inclusive, sustainable future that benefits both people and the planet.

Principles of a Just Transition

There is no one set of authoritative principles guiding a Just Transition, and groups working within this framework define these principles in the context of the on-the-ground work they are doing. All, however, agree on the overall parameters, summarized here: 

1. A Just Transition shifts from an extractive, exploitative economy to one that regenerates and repairs.

2. A Just Transition supplies everyone an equal right to what they need to thrive (not just survive), including safe, healthy, dignified jobs, housing, education, food, air and ecosystems—from within their own communities/on their tribal lands. 

3. A Just Transition means sustainable development happens parallel to and in support of recovery and maintenance of a clean environment and healthy communities (no “sacrifice to a greater good”).

4. A Just Transition emphasizes solidarity, cooperation, interconnectedness, and social and public production.

5. A Just Transition brings all stakeholders to the table from the start, putting the most impacted first (e.g. people before corporations, historically marginalized before historically privileged communities). By hearing all voices, solutions can be both ancestral and science based.

6. A Just Transition creates governance structures and economies that allow for self determination, robust local communities and social safety nets, and ecological responsibility.

Throughout this series, we’ll be looking at each of these principles individually to explore how reuse fits into or is in conversation with every element of a Just Transition, while also weaving in case studies and perspectives that encompass several principles at once—starting with Alex Claro’s story below. We will also address areas of tension like how materials practicality can seemingly undermine the goals of environmental justice. 

We intend for this series to be an ongoing and inclusive conversation. If you have any thoughts or would like to contribute, please reach out to us—and feel free to carry on the conversation in the comments below each post. 

Case Story: Alex Claro’s journey with reuse innovation

For Alex Claro, a personal chef, the shift toward a reuse economy and the push for a just transition are deeply intertwined. Claro’s story starts in southern Maryland, where he was raised by his grandmother because his mom struggled with mental illness. He dreamed of becoming a chef but after two years of culinary school, he moved back home, fell in with the wrong crowd, and found himself in trouble. 

As a young Black man, the odds were stacked against Alex, as, according to the National Institutes of Health, this demographic experiences greater social, legal and economic consequences of substance use compared with white men. But Alex decided to join Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA), a 2-year residential treatment program in Durham, NC for people struggling with drug and alcohol abuse—and there he connected with GreenToGo, a Durham-based initiative working to replace takeout containers with reusable ones. 

The local landfill in Durham closed in 1997, forcing trash to be hauled 100 miles to the Sampson County Landfill — polluting and adding to carbon emissions in a historically black, rural, economically depressed region. For Claro, working with GreenToGo wasn’t just a job; it was a chance to develop new skills while making a positive difference for local communities.

While at TROSA, Claro was responsible for picking up reusable takeout containers from return stations on GreenToGo’s downtown route, and he worked the night shift in the kitchen, leading a team responsible for washing hundreds of containers. But his role wasn’t just about washing dishes—it was a crash course in the power of reuse and the impact of excessive waste on the environment. He learned organizational skills on the job, managing the system of sorting, cleaning, and preparing stacks of containers each night. He also gained a new awareness of how single-use takeout containers are often pollutive and toxic and became a face and spokesperson for reuse innovation. 

Now, as a private chef for NFL superstars, Claro brings that same mindset to his work. He transports ingredients and leftovers in reusable glass containers, and makes a conscious effort to avoid excessive packaging when he shops. 

“You should treat the environment like your body and vice versa,” he says. “I took that with me with what I do now with my clients. Before I didn't pay attention to that type of stuff. It didn’t really matter to me. But now I'm more health and environmentally conscious.”

With four high-profile clients to manage, Claro says the organizational skills and new food system context he gained at TROSA and GreenToGo are essential to keeping everything running smoothly. His experience with GreenToGo continues to influence the way he approaches food, waste, and sustainability in his everyday life.

Our vision is that as reuse scales, this story expands beyond one individual to entire communities that have been left behind by the current systems. 

The summary of Just Transition principles here was derived from principles articulated by the following groups: Just Transition Alliance, Vermont Climate Council, The People’s Bailout via GAIA, Greenpeace USA, Climate Justice Alliance, Movement Generation, Transnational Institute, Indigenous Environmental Network.