News

The Birch Group and Scrapbox Salvage founder, Petrina Rhines was interviewed and featured in an article by Next City. Read the article to learn more about the impact her nonprofits are making on keeping building materials out of landfills.

Reuse Minnesota continues to track various bills moving through the state capitol. Among them are bills that propose to restrict the use of PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals in the manufacture of various products. HF1000 and SF0834 propose prohibitions in several categories of products including cookware, clothing, and upholstered furniture, along with other items. Reuse Minnesota supports these restrictions because the presence of these legacy chemicals in consumer goods creates an environmental and ethical dilemma in the reuse sector. These items become a burden for our thrift stores who must decide if they want to sell such products to their customers or deal with the expense of disposal. For charitable organizations that rely on used goods to assist people who are in need of household goods, items with PFAS become an environmental justice issue as they get passed on to communities that rely more heavily on secondhand items. In addition, our government members educate the public on the proper way to recycle or dispose of items. It can be difficult to determine what the “right” answer is when it comes to items containing PFAS, due to the long-lasting nature of the chemicals and if they might show up in recycled products. Eliminating the use of PFAS chemicals in the manufacture of products addresses these concerns upstream and in turn reduces the number of problematic items passed on to Minnesota reuse organizations.

SF0834 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy committee on Thursday, March 2, at 3pm. While we will not be testifying, we have submitted a letter in support of the bill.

If you or your organization would like to sign up to testify (in-person, unless remote is requested 24 hours in advance), submit written testimony, or provide hand-outs, email Committee Administrator Kara Josephson at kara.josephson@senate.mn by 5pm on Wednesday, March 1. Include your name, organization, and title of all testifiers (if you wish to speak). Please provide any handouts/letters in PDF format.

The House Commerce Finance and Policy Committee hearing on February 15 was a success, and HF1337 was referred on to Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee. You can see a recording of the hearing here. Thank you to all the testifiers who spoke in support of the bill, as well as all those who wrote letters. We will continue to post updates for everyone to follow the bill progress at reusemn.org/right-to-repair.

In the meantime, we wanted to share the latest scorecard from U.S. PIRG on laptop and cellphone repairability. While there are claims that the industry is responding to consumer demand for repairable technology, that paints a grossly inaccurate picture of what is actually available. "Failing the Fix" shows that many of the largest manufacturers have a long way to go and why Right to Repair is so necessary.

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ADVISORY: ‘Failing the Fix’ scorecard grades tech giants including Apple, Google, on how fixable their devices are

Households in the United States spend nearly $1,500 on new electronics per year. We rely on our cellphones and computers to work, learn, stay connected and much more. When your device breaks, you need to be able to fix it for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, many phones and laptops on the market are built to be difficult to fix, so they become essentially disposable. How can you know if you are buying a product that can be repaired? 

In this year’s updated “Failing the Fix” scorecard, U.S. PIRG Education Fund calculates a repairability score for the most popular cellphone and laptop brands. Our updated scorecard reviews more than 330 products on the market. To determine the rankings, we used the "Repairability Index," which makers of laptops, cellphones and some other devices need to put on their products in France. We give good grades to manufacturers that are designing devices to last and bad grades to those that are failing the fix.

The prevalence of unfixable stuff is a problem for both consumers and the planet. Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that it is now the fastest-growing part of our domestic municipal waste stream.  Americans could save a combined $40 billion if they were able to repair - instead of replace - products and extend those devices’ lifespans by 50 percent.

Right to Repair is moving forward again in Minnesota. Bills have been introduced in both the House (HF1337) and Senate (SF1598). The first hearing (House Commerce Finance and Policy) is Wednesday, February 15, at 1pm (central). Watch live here.

Several organizations will be testifying in support. Reuse Minnesota staff are unable to participate due to our quarterly member meeting at the same time, however, we submitted a letter of support, and eagerly await the hearing outcome. 

As the bills progress, we will be reaching out to supporters to contact legislators. To stay up to date, follow progress on our website and subscribe to our Right to Repair email list. 

A new study has found the reuse economy in Minnesota is worth over $5 billion, creates 45,000 jobs and takes the equivalent of 100,000 gas-powered vehicles off the roads in avoided greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions each year.
With the need for new green jobs, the reuse economy delivers many of the benefits these jobs would bring.

The report, entitled “Measuring statewide impacts of reuse,” was commissioned by Reuse Minnesota with funding from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, and conducted by Eunomia Research & Consulting, a leading international circular economy consultancy.

Reuse is the continued use, repair, or repurposing of items or materials which extends the life of resources and decreases demand for new production and includes such businesses as thrift stores, repair shops, and rental outlets.

Reuse activities directly benefit the state economy by generally taking place within local communities, with the revenue of these activities estimated to be around $3.1 billion plus a further $2.4 billion social value in wages, taxes and shareholder profits.

Unsurprisingly, as the state’s largest population center and economic hub, the Twin Cities Metro area avoided the most emissions at 66% and accounted for almost half of all reuse jobs.

The findings add to Minnesota’s green credentials after Eunomia’s 50 States of Recycling report found that its recycling rate for packaging was the highest of any US state without a Deposit Return System (DRS).

The new study applies an improved methodological approach that applies weightings to businesses which only undertake some reuse activities such as book stores which sell new and used books. This provides a more accurate picture of the economic, social and environmental benefits from the sector when compared to a previous study done in 2020.

Emily Barker, Executive Director of Reuse Minnesota said: “This study demonstrates the profound impact reuse has on the local Minnesota economy and environment. It’s not a choice between economic growth or improving our environment, we can do both and the findings really reinforce that belief. We intend to repeat the study using the same model every five years and hope to continue to show progress towards cutting carbon emissions while creating good green jobs for Minnesotans.”

Sarah Edwards, Eunomia’s Director of North America added: “This report is important for emerging policy discussions on the role of reuse in the circular economy. It demonstrates that there are environmental, social and economic benefits which support a transition to a reuse economy. Reusing materials and extending their life cycle to delay or prevent the production of new products allows us to live more sustainably within a circular system. The current prevailing take-make-waste economic principles are both inefficient and insufficient in limiting climate change. The model we developed for this study will be a much more accurate reflection of the benefits the reuse economy has on Minnesota compared to previous studies.”

Click here to access the report and presentation.

Mano a Mano International Partners is happy to be celebrating 10 years in their office and warehouse in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul! They spent the first 19 years in operation working out of their Co-Founders' home in Mendota Heights. Their current space provides a much more efficient and comfortable working environment for staff and volunteers to sort hundreds of thousands of pounds of donated medical supplies and mobility equipment for shipment to Bolivia for people and organizations in need. They also share additional supplies locally in the Twin Cities. Mano a Mano has been in operation since 1994, with the mission of “Partnering together – Hand in Hand – to transform the health and well-being of Bolivian communities in need.” They are always looking for help - volunteers, in-kind donations, and financial contributions - you can learn more here.

Mano a Mano is always looking to collect gently used medical supplies and equipment.

Nonprofit social enterprise and local industry leader in electronics recycling and refurbishing, Repowered, is searching for its next CEO. 

Copied from: Repowered seeks next CEO to build upon 11 years of growth and impact (getrepowered.org)

At Repowered (fka Tech Dump/Tech Discounts), we provide fair chances for people, planet, and technology. Over the past 11 years we have processed over 40 million pounds of electronics and provided millions of dollars of paid training for adults returning home after incarceration. 

We believe we are all defined by our futures, and we are incredibly excited about our continued vision of giving technology a second run, and the people who restore it a fair chance. It is bittersweet to share that we are seeking our next CEO to bring that vision to reality, as our long-time leader Amanda LaGrange has announced her upcoming transition, so we are seeking our next CEO to build upon our growth and impact.

As Amanda shared in comments to our team this summer, “Our goals remain the same – as does the endless potential of our organization with this amazing team. I will always love this place and our critical work; it’s simply time for the next leader to lead us during the next growth stage.”

Incoming Board Chair Renee Conklin shares “We are incredibly grateful for the leadership Amanda has provided over the last 12 years — originally as a volunteer board of directors member, then Director of Marketing, and then serving as the CEO for the past 7+ years. She has built a talented Executive Team, who are committed to providing strong leadership throughout this transition.”

Repowered will build upon our success as we look for the next great leader – perhaps that individual is in your network. We are searching for an experienced CEO who understands how to lead a nonprofit organization or has experience in the government sector.

Thanks for your continued support of our organization, and for spreading the word about our search. If you know of a great candidate, please direct them to DEJ Group, our retained search firm, for more information.

CHASKA, MINN. — Carver County Environmental Services announced that its Fix-It Clinics, in partnership with Chanhassen-based non-profit “A Better Society,” will continue in 2023.

Building on the success of the initial events, three more events are planned for 2023. The first event will take place on Saturday, March 18 from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. at A Better Society’s office, 1453 Park Rd., Chanhassen, MN 55317.

During two successful 2022 events, volunteers helped attendees fix more than 1,400 pounds of items. These items were diverted from the waste stream and included vacuums, clothing, small engines, bicycles, and a variety of other small household items. Events like these serve as a great opportunity not only to get items fixed and kept out of the landfill, but also foster community and discussion about waste reduction and the “throw-away” mentality.

Counties and community organizations have been hosting Fix-It Clinics for the last few years with great success, and Carver County’s first two clinics were no exception. These events provide residents an opportunity to sit down with a volunteer fixer to talk about their item and work together toward a repair. If an item cannot not be fixed, volunteers will try their best to diagnose the problem and provide the resident with part numbers, other repair options or recycling and disposal alternatives.

For more information, to sign up to attend, or volunteer to be a fixer visit the Fix-It Clinic Webpage. You can also visit the Carver County website and search “Fix-It Clinic”.

If you have questions or would like assistance with sign up, please contact Megan Monson at mmonson@co.carver.mn.us or Environmental Services at (952) 361-1800 with any questions. Be sure to stay tuned to Recycle Carver and A Better Society on Facebook for updates.

When I joined Reuse Minnesota as Executive Director in 2021, I did so because of my personal and professional dedication to reuse. I believe that reuse in all its forms - from resale to rental to repair - is critical to addressing many environmental and social issues facing our society today. Reuse reduces waste. Reuse creates jobs and opportunities for talent development. Reuse fosters connections and builds relationships. 

Reuse Minnesota is a nonprofit dedicated to leading a movement grounded in the principles of reuse. We build partnerships and support a vibrant network of reuse practitioners through education, promotion, and advocacy. And we envision a world with regenerative, reuse-centered communities that protect the environment and value the well-being of future generations.

December 2022 marks the 10 year anniversary of Reuse Minnesota. I am honored and excited to be part of this important milestone as the organization grows and expands our work and programming. Part of that growth includes building our membership and also connecting with individuals who would like to support our work financially. 

As the end of the year approaches, I would like to invite you to make a personal gift to Reuse Minnesota. As part of our 10-year celebration, our goal is to raise $10,000 by June 30, 2023. Individual giving is admittedly a newer thing for us, so we thank you in advance for helping us take this step. Whether it is $10 or $1000, every dollar counts.

Thank you for your support!

Emily Barker (she/her)
Executive Director

We are hiring! Reuse Minnesota is in search of a graphic designer to create a new logo for our organization. This is a contract position.

If you would like to be considered for this project, please fill out this interest form no later than November 30, 2022.