Overview

This tour starts at Lane Community College with presentations from Carolyn Stein, BRING's Executive Director, and Stephanie Scafa from the City of Eugene, where attendees will:

• Learn about the history of a unique community organization that provides a variety of reuse, business, and education services.

• Learn about a successful public/private partnership model that is using a unique/alternative funding and program delivery model.

• Explore what elements have made this partnership successful over time. What have been the lessons learned for the parties involved? What advice would they give others who are considering a partnership model?

A networking lunch will immediately follow the presentations, and from there, we'll head to BRING for a tour of the facility.

Please Note: Transportation to this event will not be provided. However, we have set up a carpool list, and encourage attendees from outside the Eugene area to use. To sign up to carpool (either as a driver or passenger), please visit our carpool site.

Agenda

11:00am - 12:00pm: Welcome and Presentations
Speakers: Carolyn Stein, BRING Recycling, and Stephanie Scafa, City of Eugene

12:00pm – 12:45pm: Networking Lunch

12:45pm – 1:00pm: Travel to BRING Recycling

1:00pm- 3:00pm: Tour of BRING Recycling

Speaker Bios

Carolyn Stein, Executive Director, BRING Recycling
Carolyn Stein began at BRING in 2008 as the Interim Community Education Program Manager. When this temporary position came to an end, Carolyn was determined to stay at BRING. So she created a new sustainable business program to address growing local demand. Launched in 2010, BRING’s RE:think Business program is a free, hands-on assistance program that helps businesses reduce waste and increase efficiency through low-cost upgrades and conservation. The program has motivated more than 200 local businesses to reduce waste and improve their triple bottom line. Carolyn became BRING’s Executive Director in June 2015. She is an investor in Oregon's first biodiesel facility, SeQuential-Pacific Biodiesel and a local business owner. Carolyn is also a City of Eugene Sustainability Commissioner and has worked internationally with students and governments to create recycling and waste prevention programs. An émigré from Southern California, Carolyn has had an unusual and varied career. She’s dodged bullets and dug through trash as a private investigator, worked as a pilot and flight instructor, and developed markets for the biofuels industry.  

BRING Recycling is one of the nation’s oldest non-profit conservation organizations. Since 1971, we have encouraged people to rethink what they use and what they throw away. From selling used building materials, to teaching kids the 3-Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), to demonstrating sustainable practices, BRING has a wealth of information, practical tips and programs to help Lane County residents live well without waste.

Stephanie Scafa, Waste Prevention and Green Building Analyst, City of Eugene
Stephanie Scafa is the Waste Prevention and Green Building Analyst at the City of Eugene, Oregon. She coordinates all education and outreach efforts for the city’s waste prevention and green building program while focusing on integrating the city’s Love Food Not Waste commercial compost program into other waste prevention-related projects. Stephanie has worked for the City of Eugene for three years and holds a Master’s degree in public administration and community and regional planning from the University of Oregon..