Change Cycle

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.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.csyimpact.com/podcast

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.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.csyimpact.com/podcast

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.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.csyimpact.com/podcast

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.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.csyimpact.com/podcast

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.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.csyimpact.com/podcast