Did you know that Columbus, Ohio generates a staggering one million pounds of food waste per day?

But the city taking concrete steps towards sustainability, and Aryeh Alex, its Sustainability Manager, is leading the charge. The city's ambitious Climate Action Plan has already seen success with its weekly recycling program. The new food scrap drop-off program, specifically targeting underserved communities, has collected an astounding 30,000 pounds of food scraps in just six months. Alex discussed the recently launched waste and reuse convenience centers, offering residents a free way to recycle and reuse items like electronics, clothing, and furniture. But perhaps most inspiring is Alex's vision for a circular economy in Columbus, a system that could create a thousand new jobs by transforming discarded materials, such as red solo cups, into valuable resources like marble tiles. The city's dedication to sustainability is not only reducing its environmental footprint but also empowering its residents and fostering a greener future.

Episode in a glance

- The Columbus's Climate Action Plan
- Waste reduction and the concept of a circular economy
- The potential for Food Rescue
- The success of Food Rescue Columbus
- Waste diversion successes in Columbus
- The Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers
- Aryeh's vision for a thousand circular economy jobs

About Aryeh Alex

Aryeh Alex is the Executive Director of Keep Columbus Beautiful and the Sustainability Manager for the City of Columbus, Ohio. In these roles, he leads the city's residential recycling, organic waste, waste reduction, community education, and volunteer litter programs. Aryeh also serves as the Sustainability Coordinator for the Division of Refuse Collection and is a Commissioner of the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks.

Connect with Aryeh Alex & Keep Columbus Beautiful

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/keepcolumbusbeautifuloh/

Tiktok → https://www.tiktok.com/@keepcbusbeautiful

X/Twitter → https://x.com/kcbcolumbus

LinkedIN → https://www.linkedin.com/company/keep-columbus-beautiful

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Joe Tegerdine is the General Manager of North America for Reencle. He is on a mission to make composting accessible, convenient, and impactful. Joe explains the science behind Reencle, a home composter that uses a unique blend of microbes, heat, oxygen, and moisture to emulate a hot composting environment, breaking down 90% of food waste in just 24 hours. He discusses the difference between Reencle’s "unfinished" compost and traditional compost, offering a clear and accessible explanation of the curing process and how to create a nutrient-rich soil amendment for your garden. He shares the impact Reencle is having around the world, with over 300,000 customers in 17 countries, and the company’s plans for future growth, including new products and partnerships. He discusses the company's commitment to research and development, highlighting collaborations with universities like Michigan State and Brigham Young to refine best practices and communicate the science behind their technology.

Joe also shares how Reencle is empowering communities, from donating refurbished units to schools for food security programs to partnering with the People's Co-op in Detroit to create a circular food system. He also discusses upcoming innovations, including a wifi-enabled unit, a smaller apartment-sized composter, and a line of Reencle-branded compostable products. Finally, he emphasizes the critical importance of addressing food waste as a key solution to climate change, highlighting the immense impact that composting can have on soil health, carbon sequestration, and global temperatures.

Episode in a glance

- What is Reencle and How Does It Work?
- Unfinished vs. Finished Compost
- The Global Impact of Reencle
- Overcoming Challenges in a Confusing Market
- The Future of Reencle
- Food Waste as the Low-Hanging Fruit of Sustainability

About Joe Tegerdine

Joe Tegerdine is the General Manager of North America for Reencle, a company dedicated to making composting accessible and convenient. With a diverse background that spans law, consumer electronics, and marketing, he brings a unique blend of strategic vision and hands-on experience to his role. Joe is passionate about finding practical, sustainable solutions that empower individuals to make a positive impact on the environment.

Connect with Joe Tegerdine and his work

Reencle Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/reencle_global

Reencle Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/reencleus

Reencle Website → https://reencle.co/

Joe’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/joetegerdine/

Send us a message!

Joe Tegerdine is the General Manager of North America for Reencle. He shares his unconventional journey from dissecting owl pellets to navigating the complex world of consumer electronics. His story is a testament to the power of following your curiosity, embracing diverse experiences, and finding your unique path to making a positive impact.

Joe recounts his childhood in the Pacific Northwest, where a love for nature and a healthy skepticism of extreme environmentalism shaped his worldview. He discusses his unexpected entry into the consumer electronics industry, a path that took him from a brief stint in real estate law to working with global manufacturing giants in Taiwan and navigating the intricate web of FCC regulations in Washington D.C. He shares how this experience gave him a deep understanding of manufacturing processes, supply chains, and the challenges of creating high-quality, long-lasting products.

He also shares his early experiences with composting, from messy backyard experiments to the realization that traditional methods weren't a perfect fit for his family's lifestyle. This set the stage for a chance encounter at a trade show in Hong Kong, where he discovered Reencle, a kitchen-to-garden composting solution that would ultimately redefine his career. Joe discusses his initial skepticism, his rigorous testing of the product, and how his passion for its potential led him to join the Reencle team.

Episode in a glance

- A Childhood Rooted in Nature
- An Unexpected Path into Consumer Electronics
- The Early Days of Composting
- Discovering Reencle in Hong Kong
- From Law to Electronics The Regulatory Maze
- Advice for Aspiring Professionals

About Joe Tegerdine

Joe Tegerdine is the General Manager of North America for Reencle, a company dedicated to making composting accessible and convenient. With a diverse background that spans law, consumer electronics, and marketing, he brings a unique blend of strategic vision and hands-on experience to his role. Joe is passionate about finding practical, sustainable solutions that empower individuals to make a positive impact on the environment.

Connect with Joe Tegerdine and his work

Reencle Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/reencle_global

Reencle Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/reencleus

Reencle Website → https://reencle.co/

Joe’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/joetegerdine/

Send us a message!