After launching a few reuse coalitions ourselves (and supporting others to do the same), we offer the following best practices to help you think about what might work best in your community.

Trash pollutes city streets, waterways, parks, and natural ecosystems – all at a cost to people and the planet. It’s clear by now that disposables don’t make any sense. But really – they literally don’t make dollars or cents. Learn why this is and how Upstream is helping transform the food service sector from a disposable nightmare to a real and reusable future.

EPR – aka extended producer responsibility – is a policy tool that holds consumer brands responsible for the environmental impacts of their products and packaging. Learn how EPR can move us toward a circular economy that follows the waste reduction hierarchy of reduce and reuse first, before recycling.

In honor of Black History Month, learn the past and present of today’s environmental justice (EJ) movement. Find out how environmental racism has played a role in the mistreatment of communities of color throughout United States history – and how reuse can help drive equal access to economic, social, and environmental opportunities.

Walk through the history – and future – of bottle bills (aka deposit-refund systems) and explore how bottle bills were used in the past and what caused the shift from this reuse–refill economic model to the modern-era throw-away system.

The Governor of Maine signed a new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill into state law. More than a decade in the making, Upstream CEO Matt Prindiville describes the history of the bill’s development and what it means for the future of reuse solutions and for holding big brands accountable for their contributions to packaging waste and pollutes.

Reuse Wins, a new report from Upstream, shows how a new reuse economy is emerging to replace the use of single-use products in food service. The key findings in the report draw from life-cycle studies that compare the environmental impacts of disposables versus reusables, and project the potential cost savings to business and local government from transitioning to a new reuse economy.

We all know the feeling of opening that brown paper bag, excited that we didn’t have to cook, only to find a vast number of disposable utensils, straws, napkins, and condiment packets. But is this waste really necessary or is there a better way?

At UPSTREAM, we are tracking the growth of reuse in cities all across the country. It’s possible to borrow a reusable cup or container in a variety of deposit or lending programs. Even groceries and consumer products are being offered in returnable/refillable containers thanks to emerging reuse companies. The growth in reusable and refillable return systems gives me hope that the throw-away culture is changing.