SAVE THE DATE: June 3 Meeting with the Legendary Urban Ore Founders from Berkeley, CA
BYO News, Local Campaigns, and Our Next Big Gathering
Dear BYO Waste Reducers,
Happy Earth Day to everyone! We imagine you’ re staying busy with local efforts this month. As you pause with a cup of tea or coffee with your BYO mug, we invite you to read through this newsletter and mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 3—we’re thrilled to be joined by the legendary founders of Urban Ore, the iconic reuse center/thrifty store in Berkeley, CA that helped shape the reuse movement long before “zero waste” became a buzzword. They’ll share stories from over four decades of visionary, principled work—including how Urban Ore became financially self-sustaining without relying on grants or corporate funding. This is a rare opportunity to learn from true pioneers who’ve walked the walk since the beginning.
When you register, you'll be added to the BYO-USR Substack email list. To opt out, just email info@usreduces.org.
As always, the session will conclude with a Q&A and our Small Breakout Socials—great spaces to connect and exchange ideas across BYO programs and to share your latest everyday zero-waste hacks and discoveries! If you’d like to request to be paired with someone in particular during the breakout, please fill out the form here. We’ll do our best to accommodate your request. Thanks to Amy and Yiyun for making all our Zoom tech run smoothly!
April Recording Coming Soon
If you missed our last meeting, a recording of part of law professor Katya Kronin’s insightful presentation on PFAS in single-use foodware and the current regulatory landscape will soon be available on our YouTube channel. Please hit the subscribe button on the channel (click here to see the channel) so you’ll be notified when it goes live! Our wonderful volunteer Yiyun is working on the upload, and it should be ready within a week or two.
We had such a great time last meeting — and please do help us remember to hit the record button at the start next time. We're working on it!
Jill’s Dunkin’ Letter Campaign - UPDATED
We’ve posted a short video interview with Jill on our YouTube channel, where she shares why she launched a campaign against Dunkin’. The 10-minute clip (interviewed by Yayoi) is well worth a watch. Huge thanks to Yiyun for the edit, thumbnail, and upload!
The letter has now been updated to reflect more recent science. If you previously signed and if you need your signature removed, please let us know by April 30 and we’ll remove your name. Otherwise, we think the letter is better and stronger, so please continue to share!
If you haven’t signed yet, now’s the time:
🔗 https://forms.gle/fyfnR89mSS9WkXqo9
Please scroll down the form all the way to sign on! It’s a bit of scrolling.
And please keep sharing the campaign with friends, family, and colleagues!
Local Group News
New York State is showing up strong in this issue! Be sure to follow and support new BYO organizers across the country—likes, shares, and comments on Instagram, Facebook, etc. go a long way in amplifying their work. For those posting on Instagram (still the go-to platform for most businesses), please consider tagging the businesses you feature and adding us @usreduces as a collaborator—let’s support each other and spread the word!
🎉 Southern Tier Reduces (NY) Has Launched!
Give them a warm welcome by following their brand new Instagram account and showing some love with likes and supportive comments. They’re sure to return the favor!
The Southern Tier region of New York lies just above the Pennsylvania border, including cities like Elmira and Corning—only about 30 minutes south of Ithaca, where Yayoi’s Ithaca Reduces team is based. Welcome Emilee and Kristen to the BYO - US Reduces family!
Southern Tier of New York encompasses the area right above the northern border of Pennsylvania, including the cities of Elmira and Corning … it’s thirty minutes south of Ithaca where Yayoi’s Ithaca team is located! A big warm welcome to Emilee and Kristen to the BYO - US Reduces family!
NYC’s Upper West Side Reduces Joins Forces with Dry Cleaners
Upper West Side Reduces recently signed up Friendly Valet Cleaner on Broadway between 104th and 105th. It was an easy win—they’ve already been offering reusable bags for years! Manager Sy shared that 50% of customers now use them.
BYO Meetup!
Yayoi (Ithaca Reduces, Central NY) was in NYC briefly for personal matters and met up with Lorial and Amy from NYC/Harlem Reduces! We love seeing BYO folks connect in real life—if you meet up, send us a photo and we’ll feature it in the newsletter. It’s always fun to see our community in action!
More Updates Coming Soon
Stay tuned for exciting news from Pinehurst, NC; Modesto, CA; Palm Desert, CA; Santa Cruz, CA; and Saratoga Springs, NY. We can’t wait to hear what’s next!
Take Action
Support Enforcement of California’s Polystyrene Ban
Expanded polystyrene (foam) foodware has been banned statewide in California since January 1, 2025, after producers failed to meet the 25% recycling rate required under SB 54. But CalRecycle still hasn’t enforced the ban. Foam cups, clamshells, and trays are still being sold and used illegally, despite the agency’s authority to fine violators up to $50,000 per day. We urge all BYO groups to join Beyond Plastics, Plastic Pollution Coalition, and The Last Plastic Straw in calling on Governor Newsom to direct CalRecycle to act. Please add your organization to the sign-on letter by Friday, May 9.
Stop the Attack on Clean Air Protections
Congress is fast-tracking a resolution to gut key protections from toxic air pollutants like mercury, lead, and dioxins. If passed, it would mark the first rollback of existing safeguards in the 50-year history of the Clean Air Act—opening the door for thousands of chemical plants and refineries to release more cancer-causing emissions without oversight. Email your Senator now!
Fighting for Clean Air: Say No to Newark’s 4th Power Plant
The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) is still pushing to build yet another polluting facility in an already overburdened environmental justice community. This fight is far from over—add your voice and say No to PVSC’s fourth power plant in Newark.
In the News
Waste and Recycling Is Now a $100B Industry
Source: Waste Dive
The U.S. waste and recycling industry—including hazardous and medical waste—surpassed $100 billion in revenue in 2024, according to the Waste Business Journal. This includes public companies, private firms, and municipal entities. The scale of this industry underscores the importance of public oversight and waste reduction—not just recycling. Read more here.
Earth’s Lungs Are Choking on Plastic and Smoke
Source: The Conversation
Fossil fuel pollution—including airborne microplastics—is affecting both humans and plants. Scientists are now studying how plastics clog plant stomata, impacting their ability to “breathe.” Read more here.
Unearthed: The Mining Issue
Source: Grist
Grist's Unearthed series explores the environmental and human rights risks of critical mineral mining for clean energy. One article highlights battery recycling as a potential solution, but not all recycling is equal—GAIA warns that methods like pyrometallurgy (burning) can cause serious harm. Federal policies will be key in shaping a just and sustainable path forward. Read more here.
BYO Reminder: Microplastics and “Safer” Disposables
Last but not in the least -
Microplastics in Paper Cups
Source: Journal of Hazardous Materials
This study found that disposable paper cups release microplastics and other harmful substances when exposed to hot water—despite being marketed as eco-friendlier alternatives. Read more here.
Biodegradable Cups May Release Even More Microparticles
Source: Chemical Engineering Journal
Researchers found that cups made from biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) paper released more microparticles than conventional polyethylene-lined cups. Read more here.
“Safe” Plant-Based Plastics Linked to Organ Damage
Source: SciTech Daily
A recent preliminary study found potential health risks from starch-based biodegradable plastics, suggesting they may cause liver damage, metabolic disruptions, and gut microbiome imbalance. Read more here.
All the more reason to stick with safe, truly reusable BYO options! 💪
In Solidarity,
Team BYO-US Reduces
Yayoi, Anne-Marie, Jill, Stephanie, Alex, Yiyun, and Amy