In 2025, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the United States moved decisively from theory to operational reality, laying the groundwork for scaled investment in responsible end markets. Today, Christine Yeager tackles how this shift played out across key states, with Oregon launching the nation’s first modern packaging EPR system, approving fee schedules, and advancing infrastructure projects like the Ashland Modernization Project despite legal challenges, while Colorado finalized its program plan and published fees ahead of major recycling infrastructure expansion in 2026. As California prepares to issue its first EPR invoices—creating significant financial implications for producers—and Circular Action Alliance consolidates reporting deadlines, Christine explains why 2026 will be the year outcomes materialize: service providers seek reimbursements, producers redesign packaging to reduce fees, collection systems mature, and responsible end markets begin to scale across the U.S.

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What does it take to create a reuse economy that actually works, moving beyond pilot projects to community-wide change? We're joined by sustainability leader Carolina Lobel, an industrial engineer who pioneered the modern reuse movement as the first full-time hire at Loop, the reusable packaging platform incubated by TerraCycle. Now working at Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy, Carolina shares the massive systemic challenges and learnings from her work with major brands, including the breakthrough Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, and offers deep insights on consumer behavior change, the power of pre-competitive collaboration, and the importance of embracing change—whether planned or reactive—to build a more sustainable future.

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Why is embracing change so essential for progress, both in life and the corporate world? Christine Yeager welcomes Ashley Fahey, former Senior Manager of Global Product Sustainability at Kohler Company and incoming sustainability lead at MilliporeSigma, for a dynamic chat on personal and professional transformation. Ashley shares powerful insights from her journey as a transgender woman, applying that courage to her work in corporate sustainability to demystify complex goals and 'build the muscle' for change. Hear how she leveraged a "red-green" scorecard to rally the troops for the "Goodyear Better Future" strategy, and how reframing sustainability around health and the circular economy can bridge political divides.

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Convincing CFOs to invest in sustainability takes more than passion — it requires timing, strategy, and a compelling case for value. In this candid conversation, Misti Hagy, Chief Financial Officer of Fawn Industries, explains how she evaluates proposals, what makes a pitch credible, and why return on investment should be measured beyond dollars to include customer trust, employee impact, and long-term social responsibility. Drawing from her own rise from a Baltimore public-school student to the C-suite, she shares how she’s led major organizational change, balanced family with ambition, mentored women in manufacturing, and transformed “human resources” into true people operations. Listeners will learn what really sways a CFO to say yes to bold ideas, how to build credibility through consistency, and why patience, self-advocacy, and empathy are essential to driving meaningful change inside any organization.

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Rental fashion, or fashion-as-a-service, has always been seen as a sustainable approach. You only get the clothes you need for a time and return them once you are done. It certainly frees up your closet and stops you from hoarding. However, this may not be as sustainable as you think, due to its hidden charges that are not-so sustainable. Christine Yeager presents the most practical way to make fashion-as-a-service as green as possible by finding that sweet spot between buying and renting clothes.

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The packaging in our food and products may be a normal everyday thing, but it makes up tons of waste around the world. Liz Helm leads the charge in innovating circular alternatives to Styrofoam and single-use plastics as the sustainability manager at TemperPack. In this conversation with Christine Yeager, she explains how focusing on a niche can move the needle of sustainability much faster despite the many challenges along the way. Liz also discusses the right way to handle resistance within your team by being curious and the immense power of doing incremental yet consistent change. This discussion breaks down the necessary mindset and perseverance you need to successfully embed sustainability everywhere you go.

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The textile EPR in the United States is lacking in many aspects. It does not have a widespread recycling infrastructure and faces a lot of technical barriers due to blended fabrics, making it one of the most wasteful and under-regulated sectors in the country. Christine Yeager explores what the United States can learn from France, a global leader in circular textile EPR. She explains the positive points of their policy that must be emulated, especially financial collection and job generation, as well as its facets that should be handled with cautious optimism, particularly their grueling manual sorting process.

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Accepting incremental progress doesn’t mean settling—it means building momentum for bigger change. In this episode, Mia Davis, Chief Impact Officer at Ollie and a longtime sustainability leader, shares how she balances intention with action in her work to create safer, more sustainable products. From her early efforts at Beauty Counter and Credo driving industry standards, to leading waste reduction and packaging innovation at Ollie, Mia highlights the power of collective action, transparency, and collaboration across industries. She unpacks the trade-offs behind packaging choices, the challenges of recycled content, and why pushing suppliers and peers together yields results no single brand could achieve alone. With her signature mix of pragmatism and urgency, Mia offers advice for sustainability professionals: embrace incremental wins, but never stop pushing for more.