Sustainable innovation often thrives in the "friction zones" that major brands ignore, proving that circular economy models can be built through grit rather than institutional backing. Guest Vale Siegrist, founder of Circular Mom Club, shares her journey of building a baby clothing rental service while balancing a full-time tech career and motherhood.

Born from the need for better options than fast fashion and the personal joy of finding purpose during a difficult postpartum period, Vale has created a subscription-based rotating closet for children ages 0 to 4. She offers a transparent look at the operational trade-offs of a solopreneur—from reusing Amazon envelopes to maintain sustainability values to leveraging AI as a "role-play" partner for hard business decisions.

By prioritizing convenience and rigorous intentionality, Vale demonstrates that a sustainable system can effectively solve the financial and environmental guilt associated with modern parenting.

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With the May 31 deadline fast approaching, EPR Reporting is no longer something producers can afford to delay—or misunderstand. In a recent episode of Change Cycle, Christine Yeager breaks down the rapidly evolving world of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), where shifting regulations, state-by-state nuances, and incomplete guidance are creating a perfect storm of confusion.

From Oregon, California, and Colorado to newer programs in Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington, reporting requirements are expanding—and getting more complex. Christine demystifies critical concepts like covered materials, eco-modulation, and source reduction targets, while highlighting what makes California’s dual reporting obligations especially challenging.

But here’s the key takeaway: waiting for clarity is a mistake. With bonus incentives on the table in some states—and mandatory participation in others—producers must act now. This teaser dives into what you need to know, what’s still uncertain, and how to start building a smarter, unified approach to EPR Reporting before time runs out.

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What does it really take to disrupt a billion-dollar industry built on convenience—and plastic? In this behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming Cambio Roasters podcast interview, Kevin Hartley shares how a single idea—replacing plastic K-Cups with infinitely recyclable aluminum—turned into one of the fastest-growing coffee brands in the U.S.

But this isn’t just a story about packaging. It’s about living with intention, building a business around the triple bottom line, and taking real financial risks to create meaningful change. From supporting coffee farming families to navigating investor pitches and scaling a sustainability-driven startup, Kevin reveals the hard truths and surprising opportunities behind mission-led entrepreneurship.

If you’ve ever wondered whether doing good can actually drive business success, this conversation offers a compelling—and practical—answer.

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After a brief two-week pause due to spring break, work travel, and illness, Christine Yeager returns to the Change Cycle Podcast with a packed update on the rapidly evolving world of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and recycling policy.

In this episode, Christine previews an exciting upcoming guest lineup featuring leaders from the Association of Plastics Recyclers, innovators in recyclable K-Cups, and voices reshaping fashion reuse—while also inviting listeners to recommend future guests at podcast@csyimpact.com.

Beyond the podcast updates, she dives deep into major EPR developments across the U.S., including Oregon’s first curbside expansion in Dallas, new producer portal deadlines across California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, and emerging compliance requirements shaping the industry. Christine also breaks down legal challenges impacting packaging and textile EPR laws, highlighting ongoing lawsuits and regulatory uncertainty in California, Oregon, and Colorado.

From infrastructure investments and rural recycling expansion to market pressures in recycled PET and real-world compliance strategies, this episode offers a timely, actionable look at where EPR policy is headed—and what producers, recyclers, and brands need to do right now to stay ahead.

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What happens when companies take sustainability seriously—without waiting for regulations to force their hand? In this conversation, host Christine Yeager and Christina Ross from Credo Beauty explore the carbon accounting challenges facing the beauty industry, sharing the company's experience now in its third year of emissions reporting—an effort many brands still avoid. They discuss the realities of working with imperfect data, the emotional and operational cost of sustainability pivots for smaller companies, and why focusing on the biggest impact areas matters more than perfect accuracy.

From Scope 3 emissions and ingredient-level traceability to innovations like packaging made from recycled beauty empties, the discussion highlights how mission-driven brands can move the industry forward through collaboration, transparency, and practical action—even without policy pressure.

Episode Description:

Today, Christine Yeager dives deep into one of the most transformative forces in the recycling industry: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Christine unpacks how EPR laws across the United States are reshaping packaging design, recycling infrastructure, and brand strategy — turning regulatory pressure into powerful market signals.

From rising EPR fees on flexible films like plastic mailers and pet food bags to new definitions of recyclability based on collection access, sorting capability, and responsible end markets, the conversation explores how companies must rethink materials, cost models, and long-term pipeline plans. Drawing on insights from the Plastics Recycling Conference and recent developments such as CalRecycle selecting Land Bell U.S.A. to operate California’s textile EPR program, Christine breaks down what these changes mean for brands nationwide.

You’ll learn how EPR fees are influencing packaging lightweighting, material optimization, and national vs. state-specific compliance strategies — and why flexible film recycling, polypropylene cups, and textile recovery programs are becoming strategic battlegrounds in the circular economy.

If you’re navigating EPR compliance, sustainable packaging design, or recycling market shifts in 2026 and beyond, this episode delivers critical insights to help you turn regulation into opportunity.

We may not think much about our pets' carbon footprint because they are just small and innocent creatures, but they also have a significant collective impact on the health of the planet. Christine Yeager sheds light on how the entire pet industry can make better choices to build a more sustainable future with Allison Reser Hamburger, Director of Sustainability & Innovation at the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC). Together, they discuss what it takes to improve ingredient sourcing and packaging in pet food and products, even if it requires a huge amount of compromise from companies and corporations. Allison also explores how to solve the disconnect between public values and industry actions, often caused by powerful forces like capitalism, materialism, and short-sightedness.

In this episode of Change Cycle, Christine Yeager puts extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems through a stress test—examining how they hold up under lawsuits, market volatility, political shifts, and public scrutiny. From California’s refined packaging regulations to Oregon’s ongoing legal challenge, and new EPR bills emerging in Illinois, New York, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin, she unpacks the fast-moving U.S. policy landscape.

But durability isn’t just about surviving headlines. Drawing lessons from Germany, France, Belgium, and British Columbia, Christine explores what makes EPR systems financially stable, legally defensible, operationally sound, and adaptable over time. She argues that lasting circular economy progress depends not only on strong funding mechanisms and governance—but on leaders who can navigate controversy and stay committed when the pressure rises.

As U.S. EPR policy matures, the real question isn’t whether it will face resistance. It’s whether it’s built to endure it.

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