Mission

Our mission is to prevent resources from becoming waste by advocating for and supporting reuse practices that recirculate materials in our communities.

Vision

We envision a society that values reduction of consumption and a reuse focused economy, where products are designed and manufactured to ensure they are durable and have a long, reusable lifetime.

We envision replacing raw material consumption with reuse, repair, refurbishment, refill, remanufacture, rental, and upcycling, with recycling and composting as the final disposition in a regenerative circular system.

People + Partners

  • Celia Furber

    BOARD MEMBER

  • Dawna Mirante

    BOARD MEMBER

  • Emily Robinson

    TEXTILE COORDINATOR

  • Heath Massey

    EDITOR, REUSE NEWS

  • Jeremy Hogan

    BOARD MEMBER

  • Joanne Wang

    OUTREACH MANAGER

  • Liz Bortolotto

    BOARD MEMBER

  • Nicole Tai

    CHAIR OF THE BOARD

  • Phoebe Schenker

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • Sloane Pagal

    BOARD MEMBER

  • Steffen Kuehr

    SECRETARY

History

Reuse Alliance was born in New York City in 2001 out of a need to network and support each other as Reuse Practitioners engaged daily in the dance to find markets and users for material that our society discards. As an organization, we evolved from a local network in New York City, to a national non-profit in 2005 organizing conferences and local chapters around the county. We were ahead of our time.

Since 2005, we have been increasing the visibility of reuse. Throughout our history we have promoted reuse and its social, economic, and environmental benefits through advocacy, education, research, support, and collaboration that strengthens the reuse community.

We developed the Master Reuser Program, ReuseConex, the Bay Area Deconstruction Workgroup (BADWG), and spawned 11 State and Regional chapters that now independently serve their respective communities. 

In 2021, we won the California Resource Recovery Association Pavitra Crimmel Reuse Award for our work on the Bay Area Deconstruction Workgroup.

In 2022, we supported our local Sonoma Community and Region. We:

  • Co-hosted 2 fixit clinics in Sonoma County

  • Hosted a Reuse Roundtable for Sonoma County

  • Fiscally sponsored a local social service group that serves low-income home care workers and farmworkers, their families and the families that they serve

  • Recirculated lumber, building materials, food and textiles into our local community through our partners

  • Organized 2 CalGreen subcommittee meetings to develop reuse language for this California Green Building Code

In 2023 we :

  • Led a Deconstruction, Reuse and C&D Workgroup for changes to CalGreen with complete recommendations due by August 2023

  • Led the Build Reuse Language Workgroup to develop definitions for deconstruction and reuse related terminology, as well as develop policy related positions for specific terms.

  • Brought on a new Executive Director to help rebuild the organization.

  • Began publishing Reuse News monthly to share stories, opportunities, and positive reuse news.

  • Increased the frequency and scope of the Reuse + Repair Fair and Reuse Roundtable programs.

  • Helped draft and pass the Sonoma County Construction Demolition & Deconstruction (CD&D) model ordinance and begun working with ZWS to ensure broad adoption and training.

  • Written numerous letter of support and comments on national reuse legislation, funding and definitions.

In 2024 we :

  • Hosted nine Repair Fairs, serving 920+ attendees, repairing 519 things, keeping 4,290 lbs out of the landfill and avoiding 38,729 kg CO2e.

  • Hosted 90 attendees at six Reuse Roundtables on various topics, including launching a new virtual Creative Reuse Center Roundtable.

  • Helped reconvene the Bay Area Deconstruction Workgroup (BADWG)

  • Published 12 issues or Reuse News.

  • Gave a dozen presentations and interviews on the benefits of reuse and tabled at a dozen events.

  • Helped run the first ever Reuse Bazaar with Recology and the City of Santa Rosa helping to rehome 15,000 pounds of material within the community.

  • Launched the first annual Reuse Awareness Campaign reaching over 14,000 people with a positive message about the benefits of reuse.

For more information on our plans for the future, read our Strategic Report and more about our Vision .

Board Advisors & Past Board Members

Elizabeth Sanchez — Student Services Coordinator at Pathways Charter School in Rohnert Park, CA

Jamie Facciola — Jamie is an award-winning entrepreneur social change leader and journalist focused on furniture reuse based in Oakland, CA. 

Kyle Wiens — CEO of iFixit, the free repair manual.

Harriet Taub — Executive Director of Materials for the Arts, creative reuse centers in N.Y.C.

Patty Breslin — Patty is Executive Director at San Leandro 2050, with expertise in reuse business and data consulting based in San Leandro, CA.

Stefanie Feldman — Strategic Account Manager with Waste Management.

Director Emeritus: MaryEllen Etienne