Sustainably Speaking APM

In the first installment of our two-part episode on Sustainably Speaking, author and Bloomberg columnist Adam Minter shares his remarkable journey–from working in his family’s scrap yard to becoming an award-winning journalist and author of two critically acclaimed books uncovering details about the world’s waste industry. On this episode, hear Adam discuss his global adventures in recycling and his own personal mission to get the facts out.

From failing fast and bio-based glitter to designing for recyclability, Brian Schmatz is tackling some of recycling’s biggest challenges with an exciting approach. He’s a chemist bursting with creativity and his entrepreneurial spirit comes through in his work. On this episode we’ll find out about the new technology from Brian and his team and how it can enhance the recycling industry.

Everything’s bigger in Texas—and Austin’s ambitious zero waste goals are no exception. The city is blazing a trail when it comes to transforming traditional waste management into sustainable resource recovery. On this episode, Maddie Morgan from Austin’s Circular Economy Program shows us how the city is creating a more sustainable future. As you’ll find out, Maddie’s approach to improving the circular economy in her hometown is emblematic of Austin’s innovative, creative, and collaborative culture. We hope her outside-of-the-box ideas and success stories spark solutions in other communities.

It all started with a boy. When Keefe Harrison took a job at her college’s recycling office, little did she know that the trajectory of her entire life had changed. Fast-forward to today, Keefe is the CEO of The Recycling Partnership, a non-profit she started 10 years ago to bring people together to increase recycling in the U.S.

In this episode of Sustainably Speaking, Jeremy DeBenedictis shares an inspiring story about what it takes to become an environmental entrepreneur. As President of Alterra, Jeremy leads and mentors his team which has developed an innovative technology to help keep used plastics out of landfills through advanced recycling.

As Jeremy points out, there are many obstacles to increasing plastic recycling. Yet, the role of technology in recycling more efficiently and effectively cannot be overstated. Simply put, advanced recycling technologies like Alterra's help build a more sustainable future by creating value for what was once considered waste.

In this episode of Sustainably Speaking, host Mia Quinn explores the critical role that science is playing when it comes to identifying solutions for microplastics pollution. Dr. Jeanne Hankett, Sustainability Lead, North American Biodegradation & Microplastics Center of Excellence at BASF, joins the show to discuss efforts to study and mitigate microplastics' impact. Our conversation explores what we’re learning about the life cycles of plastics and efforts to enhance the scientific study of microplastics.