Episode 14: Creative Reuse with CT Anderson
To kick off Black History Month, on this episode we are joined by Founder and Creative Director of Springclean CT Anderson. Springclean is a non-profit whose mission is to create jobs and reduce landfill space by repurposing textile material in new and innovative ways. This episode was recorded during a Halloween event hosted by Springclean at the Innovation Barn in Charlotte North Carolina where patrons could come in and epicycle a halloween costume with pieces from the Springclean closet. Due to this being our first live event recording for our podcast you will hear some background noise from the event itself. As a bonus you can head to our YouTube channel and watch this interview and see Springclean and CT in action and also get to see a couple of Halloween costumes!
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Candace Taylor (CT) Anderson is a creator, innovator and writer, and has dedicated her professional career to positive environmental and social impact. For more than 20 years she has held roles in the private and public sector and has consulted for numerous organizations and worked in real estate development. She has been and continues to be a corporate and small business entrepreneur in the areas of community development, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility. An experienced global executive, CT currently serves as Senior Vice President in Business Sustainability Strategy, for a US-based, global bank. In 2019, she became the Founder and Creative Director of Springclean, an organization dedicated to the circular economy of textiles. Springclean is a nonprofit whose mission is to create jobs and reduce landfill space by repurposing textile material in new and innovative ways. |
Episode 13: Upping the Ante on Sustainability
In this episode we are joined by Chef Cater Alexander at The Cherokee Convention Center. CRA’s upcoming conference (April 8-11, 2024) will be held at the brand new Cherokee Convention Center where recyclers will be able to enjoy a brand new, completely non-smoking facility, new restaurants, and hotel rooms! Chef Carter is the executive chef at The Cherokee Convention Center and was excited to chat with us about the Code Green Initiative, local sourcing of food and resources, and so much more that has been put in place to up the ante on sustainability.
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Carter Alexander grew up in Chattanooga and spent a great deal of time eating fresh and locally grown items at his grandmother’s house. As Carter grew up and moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee in hopes of pursuing a law career, he was reacquainted with the food scene by working with a local restaurant company that prided itself in using all fresh and the highest quality of ingredients. He decided that this was his calling and turned his studies to the culinary world and hotel and restaurant management where he could use his creativity with food. Carter has been in the industry for 29 years and has won multiple competitions and awards for his food. Carter joined Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort as the Catering Chef in 2015 and accepted the position of Executive Chef in 2019. Currently, he has been working on incorporating the Harrah’s Code Green initiative into the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort culinary department by using as many locally sourced, organic and sustainable products as possible, getting back to his roots in his grandmother’s kitchen. In addition to sustainability projects, he is developing menus using his local connections for the new 100,000 sq ft convention center, Wicked Weed Brew Pub, and Guy Fieri’s Kitchen and Bar. He also partnered with Gordon Ramsay’s North American culinary team to develop a brand new and unique concept featuring local southern cuisine and staples that compliment Gordon Ramsay’s style of food and service. |
Episode 12: CRA Goes to the Innovation Barn!
This week we are joined By Amy Aussieker from the Innovation Barn in Charlotte to discuss CRA’s upcoming Lunch and Learn event on July 20! The Innovation Barn is Charlotte’s center for circular innovation, and is a combination of entrepreneurial businesses, zero-waste initiatives, and a space to convene groups in order to learn more about and implement circular projects. We hope you enjoy this episode and that you can join us for this one of a kind opportunity with the Innovation Barn next month!
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As Executive Director for Envision Charlotte, Amy Aussieker is responsible for developing strategic plans for community outreach, fundraising, vendor and partner relationships. Since she joined the team in July 2013, Amy has used her two decades of expertise in strategic planning, relationship management, marketing and creative problem solving to help Envision Charlotte become a global model of urban sustainability. Amy’s background is a blend of corporate, non-profit and entrepreneur expertise. Before joining Envision Charlotte, Amy served as a strategic consultant for businesses and Chambers of Commerce in marketing, fundraising, social media and public relations. She spent several years as Group Vice President for Sales and Marketing for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, where she was responsible for leadership, fundraising and community relations. She also served as a business development and community affairs executive with Balfour Beatty Construction, and she founded, operated and recently sold a successful retail business. |
Episode 11: Cautiously Optimistic
In this episode we speak with Chaz Miller on the current state of the recycling markets, restoring faith in recycling, and the steps we can individually take to improve recycling in own our communities. We hope you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast!
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Chaz Miller’s career in waste and recycling spanned four decades with stints at the US EPA Office of Solid Waste, the Glass Packaging Institute and the National Waste and Recycling Association. He testified on waste and recycling issues at Congressional and state hearings and spoke at conferences throughout North America. He was a plenary panel speaker at the UN Zero Waste Conference in Tokyo and spoke at a paper recycling conference in China. He is a member of the Maryland Recycling Network Board and an ex officio member of the Board of the Northeast Recycling Council. Although he is now retired from full time work, he consults and continues to write his award-winning column “The Circular File” for Waste360 and to speak at waste and recycling conferences in the United States and Canada. He chaired Montgomery County Aiming for Zero Waste Task Force. He was honored by the National Recycling Coalition for Lifetime Achievement. |
Episode 10: Paying it Forward
We are taking a look at the Paying it Forward report that was released by The Recycling Partnership. Scott Mouw talks us through the report with his legendary style and industry knowledge. We hope you enjoy this episode and that you will consider subscribing to the Carolina Recycling Podcast!
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Scott Mouw is the Senior Director of Strategy and Research at The Recycling Partnership. Scott brings extensive experience in taking a systems approach to recycling. In his previous role as North Carolina’s State Recycling Director, Scott led efforts in fostering local collection programs, implementing recycling policy, and building a recycling economy. Scott joined The Recycling Partnership to deploy the same lessons of success to the national scale. Core to this work has been understanding the nuances of each material, the nature of recovery economics and markets, and the necessary role of metrics and data in creating a resilient and responsive recycling system. Whether it’s the fine points of curbside collection, the basic MRF business model, or understanding how the supply of available material reacts to market demand, Scott is ready to engage with all stakeholders across the recycling spectrum. |
Episode 9: The Economics of Spitballs
Will Sagar, the Executive Director of the Southeast Recycling Development Council, joins the podcast to discuss the economics of recycling. Will explains how demand works for recyclable commodities and why the market fluctuates.
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Will Sagar is Executive Director with the Southeast Recycling Development Council where his efforts include a specific focus upon the economic impact of the recycling industry.
Sagar graduated from the University of North Carolina with a double major on Economics and Mathematics. After selling the excavation business he built and operated for a decade, he was the Solid Waste Director for Transylvania County, NC for 16 years. While there he started the recycling program, built the first lined landfill in Western North Carolina; implemented a Pay As You Throw program, which applied utility pricing to waste collecting resulting in a doubling of the recycling program; established a permanent Household Hazardous Waste collection; and started an electronics recycling program. Later with Henderson County, he started electronics collection and created a county energy accounting system. Will is a Past President of the Board of Directors the Carolina Recycling Association. He also chairs the Board of The Free Clinic of Transylvania County, which serves the medical needs of the uninsured. |
Episode 8: Yesterday’s Lunch, Tomorrow’s Compost
Food waste is the next frontier of waste reduction. Bianca Howard of Wake County Environmental Services discusses the prevalent strategies for reducing or composting food waste.
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Bianca Howard is an environmental educator with a professional passion for trash. She didn’t seek the garbage-driven life, but discovered solid waste while earning a master’s degree in ecology. Bianca is a proud graduate of North Carolina State University and the University of Florida. Since 2018, Bianca has served as the Outreach and Marketing Supervisor for Wake County Solid Waste Management. Her duties include coordinating a drop-off collection program for wasted food and managing small grants that help businesses to prevent waste. When she’s not in her garden, you can probably find Bianca reading a book or walking along a greenway. |
Episode 7: Debunking Recycling Myths
The Executive Director of the CRA, Mary McClellan, tackles the most prevalent myths in the recycling industry. Got recycling questions? Ask them on https://connect.cra-recycle.org/
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Mary McClellan has served as the Executive Director of the Carolina Recycling Association (CRA) since 2016, serving North and South Carolina’s recycling industry with a mission to advance waste reduction and recycling in the Carolinas. She has proudly contributed to the recycling industry for the past 20 years in the state & local government, private, and non-profit sectors. She is an executive board member of the National Recycling Coalition and a SWANA-Certified Zero Waste Practitioner. |
Episode 6: Recycling Market Update
Market expert Chaz Miller joins the Carolina Recycling Podcast to discuss the improving recycling markets.
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Chaz Miller’s career in waste and recycling spanned four decades with stints at the US EPA Office of Solid Waste, the Glass Packaging Institute and the National Waste and Recycling Association. He testified on waste and recycling issues at Congressional and state hearings and spoke at conferences throughout North America. He was a plenary panel speaker at the UN Zero Waste Conference in Tokyo and spoke at a paper recycling conference in China. He is a member of the Maryland Recycling Network Board and an ex officio member of the Board of the Northeast Recycling Council.
Although he is now retired from full time work, he consults and continues to write his award-winning column “The Circular File” for Waste360 and to speak at waste and recycling conferences in the United States and Canada. He recently chaired Montgomery County Aiming for Zero Waste Task Force. He was honored by the National Recycling Coalition for Lifetime Achievement. |
Episode 5: Man of Steel (and Aluminum)
Bad superman jokes aside, how long does it take for a recycled can to get back on the shelf? Scott Breen of the Can Manufacturers Institute joins this episode to discuss the sustainability of recycled cans. Visit www.cancentral.com for ALL the can info!
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Scott Breen is Vice President of Sustainability at the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI). CMI represents U.S. metal can manufacturers and their suppliers. His responsibilities include promoting the can as a sustainable/circular package, making sure federal and state legislation and regulation reflect the can’s sustainability advantages, and leading the industry’s efforts to build upon the can industry’s leading recycling rates.
Scott’s roles prior to CMI were associate manager of the Sustainability and Circular Economy Program at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and attorney-adviser at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Along with his position at CMI, Scott also explores various aspects of sustainability as creator and co-host of the podcast “Sustainability Defined.” Sustainability Defined reaches thousands of listeners with its monthly episodes across more than 100 countries and all 50 states. |
Episode 4: Carton Today…Toilet Paper Tomorrow
Cartons hold juice, milk, broth, and wine (of course), BUT did you know your box o’ wine can have a new life as toilet paper? Matt Todd and Sherry Yarkosky both join the episode to explain carton recycling, the Carton Council, and how Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and paper mills can get involved. Learn more about the Carton Council and what might become of that OJ carton in your fridge right now at: https://www.recyclecartons.com/
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Matt Todd is a senior consultant for RRS. His 25 years of waste and recycling experience derive from direct public sector service and private sector business and consulting. His expertise in solid waste and recycling programs, end markets, grant programs, and the circular economy has placed him in front of various organizations, including corporations, municipalities, NGOs, private recycling companies, and universities. Matt has guided organizations toward sustainability, identified opportunities for community recycling improvements, and assisted trade organizations to execute material recovery strategies. |
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Sherry joined RRS as an Associate Senior Consultant in 2018, bringing over 25 years of diverse and deep experience in research, economic modeling, sustainable materials management, recycling market development, grants and proposal writing and review, and solid waste and recycling program management. Over her career, Sherry has worked in the industry from a variety of perspectives including local government, state government, and nonprofit and private industry consulting. |
Episode 3: Re-Made in the Carolinas: PET
In this episode, Miguel Burgoa describes why Clear Path Recycling is one of the most prolific plastic recyclers in the southeast. Clear Path recycles hundreds of millions of pounds of PET bottles every year.
Episode 2: Re-Made in the Carolinas: Glass
On the episode, Laura Hennemann of Strategic Materials discusses the current landscape and sustainability of glass recycling. Laura is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Strategic Materials, Inc. which is one of the country’s leaders in glass recycling.
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With over a decade of experience in marketing & communications, Laura joined Strategic Materials in 2016, bringing a background in industrial by-product recycling and commercialization in 32 countries. Today, Laura handles many recycling industry challenges through coordination with trade organizations – she sits on the Executive Board for the Glass Recycling Foundation (501c3 non-profit), is an active member of the Glass Recycling Coalition and the Glass Packaging Institute. She also works with many industry-leading companies to promote and grow their sustainability programs and glass packaging recyclability in a variety of industries. Laura is a LEED Green Associate® and GBCI TRUE Advisor. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Master of Business Administration from The Pennsylvania State University. |
Episode 1: The Plastic Paradox
On episode one of the Carolina Recycling Podcast, CRA Board Member Matt James spoke with Nina Butler of More Recycling to discuss the state of plastics recycling. Nina unravels the advantages of using plastics as lightweight packaging while addressing the risk that plastics pose to our oceans.
About:
Nina Butler – Nina Bellucci Butler is the CEO of More Recycling, a research and information technology firm, striving to harmonize human behavior with the natural world. The company’s information technology platform, relationships, and understanding of the plastics recycling landscape have made it the trusted organization to deliver the annual plastic recycling reports for the U.S. and Canada for more than 10 years. Nina and her team have also developed resources such as PlasticsMarkets.org, Buy Recycled Plastics Directory, and CircularityInAction.com.
Nina is an industry leader and visionary providing key insights into sustainability for nearly 20 years. For example, she testified before the U.S. Congressional Hearing on Challenges Facing Recycling and has presented at international events (e.g., World Petrochemical Conference, Nat Geo Circular Economy Forum, and the World Bank Problue Series) to share information on the path towards circularity. Nina believes in delivering unbiased guidance in navigating the role plastics play in the movement towards circular supply chains, valuing carbon, and reducing GHG emissions. Under Nina’s leadership, MORE also leads multi-stakeholder initiatives, the latest of which resulted in a “Roadmap to Plastic Recyclability” for packaging not currently accepted for recycling. Her team is working to harmonize design guidelines in Europe and North America. She serves on the board of directors for the National Recycling Coalition and has a Masters of Environmental Management degree from Duke University, where she was also part of the Duke Environmental Leadership Program. She is a mother of two girls and lives in Chapel Hill, NC.
Upcoming Episodes:
Episode 10: Coming Soon!
We release new episodes of the podcast on Tuesdays, so make sure to check your podcast app on Tuesday mornings!
Special thanks to Matt James for hosting the Carolina Recycling Association Podcast!
About Matt:
Matt lives in Durham, North Carolina and serves as a board member for the Carolina Recycling Association. He and his wife occupy their free time with rock climbing, hiking, and indulging in trashy reality TV.
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