Cascade Alliance

Five Headline Friday (3/9/18)

Welcome to Friday!  Here’s our weekly offering of five of the latest topical articles, news stories, and reports. This week’s top stories include:  Ebay’s role in the circular economy and ways they are innovating to enhance user engagement, the Association of Fundraising Professionals is observing Women’s History Month with its Women’s Impact Initiative, an article highlighting the successes of mattress recycling in California.  Is there a role for retail thrift in the “pop-up” economy? The Roanoke Times explores this emerging business model.  Finally, Resource Recycling describes the value of measurement and analytic software tools being used  to measure impacts in recycling programs in state, local, and industry sectors.

Could eBay become your ‘personal inventory of things’?

What do Cascade Alliance and Ebay have in common?  Both have been part of the circular business economy for decades!  CirculateNews checks in with Chris Librie, Head of eBay’s Global Impact and Giving, to talk about how eBay contributes to the circular economy, including the ways thrift stores use eBay to sell goods.  He also describes how eBay is developing AI technology to enable “frictionless selling” and highlights how consumers can use eBay to value and manage their “personal inventory of things”.

AFP Launches Women’s Impact Initiative

“The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) is combining public awareness accompanying studies of gender-based wage inequality and sexual harassment in the workplace with Women’s History Month in the launch of its Women’s Impact Initiative (WII). WII is the association’s response to bias and harassment in the fundraising space. The initiative is the first in a new series of diversity and inclusion efforts by AFP.

‘Bye Bye Mattress’ — a program that works

It’s always great to see mattress recycling  success stories in the media.  This editorial describes California’s efforts, through legislation and public-private partnerships, to meet state mattress recycling goals. These partnerships include several of our members who contract with the Mattress Recycling Council. Social, community, and environmental benefits are highlighted.

More mobile business and events expected to ‘pop-up’ in changing economy

You know about food trucks, but with social media lowering advertising costs, more businesses are going mobile to meet consumers where they are and give them a “one-of-a-kind” experience.  How about “pop-up” thrift shops? One entrepreneur is giving it a try.

Experts say measurement matters

Resource Recycling describes state and local government and industry methods and tools to evaluate recycling program impacts. Various uses of data are described, from setting goals to understanding the flow of waste and recyclables between states. Demonstrating social and environmental impacts, of course is crucial to sponsors and funders.