We cannot recycle our way out of it: the circular economy is the answer | Melissa Seeley | TEDxEdina

We need to reimagine our current consumption model of make/use/throw away to a circular model where reuse is paramount. We have forgotten about the first two "R"s of the waste hierarchy - reduce and reuse. There are novel ways in which reuse is being adopted across many industries, but the greatest impact will come when we collectively recognize our ability to reimagine the entire system. Melissa has been involved with environmental issues since 2007. She spent years volunteering in Edina Schools in various capacities including serving as PTO President at Concord Elementary and co-creating the organics recycling program throughout the school district. She also served on Edina's Energy and Environment Commission, and in various volunteer roles with Hennepin County. She recently started a business venture with one of the other co-creators of the organics program after securing a grant from Hennepin County. The goal of Good To Go Cups is to transform how people consume to-go drinks from coffee shops by creating a reusable, compostable cup to be used in a cup exchange system. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx