The pressure to save the world amidst the evolving climate crisis gets bigger by the minute, and it can be daunting and disheartening. In light of Mental Health Awareness Month, this brought me to a question that anyone facing such heavy circumstances, at any moment, needs to know the answer to: How can I practice mental self care when I start to feel small and dejected?

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?

You - me - we have a name in the UPSTREAM community. We’re Solutioneers. We’re the folks who consider values, the human cost and environmental impact in the daily decisions we make; we’re tired of the one way throw-away economy and we want to make a difference.

Dishcraft Robotics, in collaboration with UPSTREAM, today announced the launch of a program to help reduce the increasing volume of waste produced by takeout foodware. Dubbed Serve It Safe, the program will help restaurants reduce waste by serving takeout meals in sanitized, sustainable, reusable containers.

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.

As restaurants move toward reopening, many health experts are saying plastic food packaging doesn’t provide any better protection against COVID-19 - in fact, it presents significant risk to human health. Leading up to World Health Day on April 7, UPSTREAM held a media briefing with expert panelists Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP and Shanna H. Swan, PhD, MS.

It’s time for the hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to stop. As a nation, we must come together and denounce this violence while deplatforming the voices of hate that seek to divide us.

Handy insights, tips, and talking points for approaching food service businesses to help them save money and the planet at the same time.

UPSTREAM is proud to partner with Tandem Coffee Roasters of Portland, Maine as one of our corporate sponsors in 2021. We asked Will Pratt, Tandem’s founder, to tell us more about their story and their commitment to making throw-away go away.