On the latest episode of Sustainably Speaking, we discuss how companies are ramping up their efforts to reduce plastic waste by both investing in and innovating for a circular economy. How is this happening? Companies and funds are accelerating investment in recycling infrastructure and innovative technologies (like advanced recycling), with the goal of increasing the amount of plastic that can be recycled into new products and materials, again and again.
Host Joshua Baca is joined by Julie Zaniewski, North America Sustainability Director for Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics, and Bridget Croke, Managing Director of Closed Loop Partners, to discuss private sector efforts to achieve more sustainable practices and the role of a circular economy in sustainability.
On This Episode:
Bridget Croke
Bridget Croke is a Managing Director and part of the founding team at Closed Loop Partners, an investment and innovation firm working to accelerate a more circular economy.Bridget serves as an advisor to the Ocean Plastic Leadership Network and sits on the Board of Directors for Algramo, a smart refillable packaging company out of Santiago, Chile.
Bridget works with global brands and industry to drive investment in the circular economy and rebuild packaging supply chains to reduce waste and reliance on natural resources. Bridget has spent the last 20 years building movements to help drive a more sustainable economy – from the local food movement to the circular economy. This work has included a national campaign to improve quality of life with less consumption; building and executing campaign tools to move consumers to Buy Fresh, Buy Local; a startup turned growth company incentivizing consumers to recycle right and Purpose, a consultancy and incubator leveraging the tools of movement building to solve global challenges.
Julie Zaniewski
Julie Zaniewski is currently the North America Sustainability Director for Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics (P&SP). In this role Julie is responsible for steering collaboration across the packaging industry to drive the circular economy of plastics and to improve waste management infrastructure systems in the region. Julie also works with key plastics trade associations to identify and monitor critical issues facing the industry and to ensure internal alignment to address those issues.
Before joining Dow, Julie spent 16 years at Unilever steering packaging design, technology, and sustainability programs for their global and North America business units. Julie has served on various advisory boards in the sustainable packaging industry including Sustainable Packaging Coalition, Association of Plastics Recyclers and Closed Loop Fund. Julie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Packaging from Michigan State University.
