Return-It Podcast

Welcome to Closing the Loop! A conversation about recycling, sustainability and the circular economy, brought to you by Return-It, an industry owned, not-for-profit product stewardship agency with beverage container management as its core business. Join Return-It President & CEO Allen Langdon as he speaks to industry leaders around the globe to bring awareness to environmental challenges and innovations.  The podcast features thought-provoking conversations on some of the most important topics of our time. Learn more about what’s working, isn’t working and what we can do better together. The conversations cover initiatives large and small, with exciting ideas for us to consider both as individuals and organizations committed to sustainable solutions.

Closing The Loop can be found on iTunes or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

Episode #8 Lighter Living: Living well and fairly within our ecological means

February 13, 2020

How can we all live lighter and support our communities? Emily Pearson, Portfolio Manager, Community Investment at Vancity Credit Union, speaks with our President and CEO Allen Langdon about their Lighter Living initiative to create sustainable opportunities in our communities. They discuss the successes of Lighter Living, opportunities, how we can collectively close the loop and make a difference, and more.

Speakers:

• Allen Langdon
  President & CEO 
  Return-It
• Emily Pearson
  Portfolio Manager, Community Investment
  Vancity Credit Union

Episode #7 Turning the Tide on Marine Pollution

February 13, 2020

Wondering what is being done to combat marine pollution? For episode 7 of Closing the Loop, Allen chats with Alison Wood, Executive Director of Ocean Ambassadors Canada — an organization that works to connect the next generation with our oceans. They discuss Ocean Ambassadors Canada’s educational initiatives, what’s next for the organization, and their recently renewed partnership with Return-It.

Speakers:

• Allen Langdon
  President & CEO
  Return-It
• Allison Wood
  Executive Director
  Ocean Ambassadors

Episode #6 How Recycling in the US is Changing the Policy and Politics of Recycling

January 23, 2020

Allen speaks to CEO Keefe Harrison and Dylan de Thomas, VP of Industry Collaboration at the Recycling Partnership to learn more about how Recycling in the US is Changing the Policy and Politics of Recycling. They discuss challenges, successes and ambitious commitments to create closed-loop systems.

Speakers:

• Allen Langdon
  President & CEO 
  Return-It
• Keefe Harrison
  CEO
  Recycling Partnership
• Dylan de Thomas
  VP of Industry Collaboration
  Recycling Partnership

Episode #5 The Changing Landscape for Electronics Recycling in Canada

Canada’s Electronic Products Recycling Association is the industry-led not-for-profit stewardship agency that keeps 100,000 metric tonnes of old electronics out of landfills each year. In this episode of Closing the Loop, Allen catches up with EPRA’s President and CEO, Cliff Hacking. The pair discuss opportunities in the electronics recycling landscape in Canada, how it contributes to a circular economy, and what the public can do to make a difference.

Speakers:

• Allen Langdon
  President & CEO
  Return-It
• Cliff Hacking
  President & CEO
  EPRA Canada

Episode #4 The Next Generation of Textiles Collection and Recycling

The average adult throws away about 81 pounds of clothing each year. What can be done to divert textiles from the landfill and support the next generation of textiles collection and recycling? In this edition of Closing the Loop, Allen chats with two leaders in textiles recycling: Tonny Colyn, National Director of Business Development and Sustainability for The Salvation Army Thrift Store in Canada, and Karen Storry, the Senior Project Engineer, Zero Waste Implementation for Metro Vancouver. Both Karen and Tonny offer insights and explore solutions to work towards closing the textiles loop.

Speakers:

• Allen Langdon
  President & CEO
  Return-It
• Tonny Colyn
  National Director of Business Development  & Sustainability
  The Salvation Army
• Karen Storry
  Senior Project Engineer
  Zero Waste Implementation, Metro Vancouver

Episode #3 Working Together to End Plastic Pollution

Who is committed – and who needs to be committed – to ending plastic pollution around the globe? Allen chats with Sander Defruyt, Lead, the New Plastics Economy at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and David Clark, Vice President, Sustainability at Amcor Ltd. about their perspectives and how we can work together to build a circular economy and close the loop for recyclable packaging products.

Speakers:

• Allen Langdon
  President & CEO
  Return-It
• Sander Defruyt
  Lead New Plastics Economy
  Ellen MacArthur Foundation
• David Clark
  VP, Sustainability
  Amcor Ltd.

Episode #2 A Conversation with Coca-Cola: An update on their World Without Waste Strategy

Learn about Coca-Cola’s World Without Waste Strategy. Coca-Cola Canada’s Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, Ron Soreanu, and Coca-Cola North America’s Vice President, Sustainability, Bruce Karas share the thinking behind their ambitious sustainable packaging goal, the importance of partnerships, and what we can collectively do to contribute to a sustainable future.

Speakers:

• Allen Langdon
  President & CEO
  Return-It
• Ron Soreanu
  VP, Public Affairs & Communications
  Coca-Cola Canada
• Bruce Karas
  VP, Sustainability
  Coca-Cola North America

Episode #1 Sustainability Roundtable

Is sustainability just a trend? Heather Mak and Coro Strandberg - who have each made a career in leading sustainability in their sectors - chat with Allen about the global shift to prioritizing sustainability. They share advice for companies looking to engage in sustainability efforts, what is leading the environmental movement, what responsibilities organizations have, and more.

Speakers:

• Allen Langdon
  President & CEO
  Return-It
• Heather Mak
  Founder/Advisor
  Heather Mak Consulting
• Coro Strandberg
  President
  Strandberg Consulting