{"id":75101,"date":"2025-07-28T08:00:47","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T12:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.workdesign.com\/?p=75101"},"modified":"2025-07-31T10:28:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T14:28:03","slug":"colorado-women-in-circularity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.workdesign.com\/2025\/07\/colorado-women-in-circularity\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet Three Women Shaping Colorado\u2019s Sustainable Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meet three women working (and succeeding) at establishing Colorado (CO) as a leader in the circular economy through innovations, policies, and sustainable solutions.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Our Circular Economy Editor, <\/span>Cynthia Milota<\/a><\/strong>, recently connected with three circular economy leaders at the <\/span>Circularity<\/span><\/a> conference in Denver. <\/span>Emily Freeman<\/a><\/strong>, Policy Advisor, Circular Economy at the City of Boulder; <\/span>Laurie Johnson<\/a><\/strong>, Founder and CEO of Circular Colorado and <\/span>Liz Chapman<\/a><\/strong>, PhD, former Executive Director of Recycle Colorado.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Emily
LTR Emily Freeman, Laurie Johnson, Liz Chapman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

WDM: First, share a bit about how your background, education, and experience shaped your work and perspective.<\/h3>\n

Emily Freeman<\/b>: In looking back on what influenced my life and career, living and working for three years in Japan was pivotal \u2013 in how the country managed its waste, values materials, and uses innovative construction techniques that make buildings not only earthquake resistant but also easier to deconstruct into pieces. My time in Japan also gave me the confidence to succeed in challenging environments.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Listen to Emily:<\/strong> Circular Economy and Sustainable Deconstruction: A Unique Approach at the City of Boulder<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Laurie Johnson<\/b>: As the founder and CEO of Circular Colorado and the Director of Colorado\u2019s new Circular Economy Development Center, my mission is to establish CO as a leader in developing circular economy solutions.\u00a0 My early career experience turning around an underperforming YMCA taught me that this work is community based, whether the community is local or global.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Listen to Laurie:<\/strong> Circular Colorado & Brave Industries are Revolutionizing Recycling<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Liz Chapman<\/b>: I am a life-long educator that enjoys learning with others in a variety of contexts. My skills and experience make me adept at facilitating diverse perspectives when brokering solutions. I am doing what I can to minimize my negative impact and maximize my contributions to building a sustainable world. I strive to help others to do the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Listen to Liz:<\/strong> Sustainability in Progress: Waste and Recycling in Colorado\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

WDM: Tell us about your work and passion in the circular economy space.<\/h3>\n

Emily Freeman<\/b>: Boulder\u2019s deconstruction ordinance has been in effect since July 1, 2020, and requires all residential and commercial buildings to divert 75% of materials by weight, for reuse and recycling and must include three or more different material types. There is a refundable deposit of $1 per square foot, with a minimum of $1,500 for all buildings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To date, Boulder has diverted 73,596 tons \u2013 or the equivalent of 83% of building materials from the landfill.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This highlights how effective, a forward-thinking policy coupled with strong-end markets can drive the building and deconstruction industry to efficiently managed materials and dramatically reduce landfill rates.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Emily Freeman, policy advisor for a circular economy in Boulder, stands outside the city\u2019s newest fire station. Dozens of steel beams were salvaged from a nearby hospital deconstruction project and reused in the construction of the fire station. (Image courtesy of Peter O’Dowd\/Here & Now<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liz Chapman: <\/b>In my early career I was an outdoor educator, fostering a sense of stewardship for the environment. I was also an adjunct faculty member at a community college, before I embarked on a series of advisory and executive director roles. My PhD \u201cTalking Trash: Bringing Research into Action while Reducing Household Waste<\/a>,\u201d explored \u201chow transforming consumer attitudes towards waste is a vital piece of sustainable waste management.\u201d\u00a0 Exploring the term “catalyzing stewardship” we can describe how participants engaged others in waste reduction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other parts of the world, there is not so much land. Until \u201cwaste is in your face\u201d you don\u2019t deal with it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We have to create positive associations with waste materials, employing \u201csticks with incentives\u201d to get people in CO, \u201cthe land with so much land,\u201d to change their behaviors in relation to waste. A sense of personal responsibility is lacking in the western industrialized world where someone else can deal with it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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There\u2019s nothing that makes Liz Chapman, the City\u2019s Waste Reduction guru, smile larger than recycled computers and electronics Responsibly recycling all electronics saves the earth and our landfill from toxic waste. (Image courtesy of City of Aspen Government)<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

WDM: Share with our audience how they can use your lessons learned to build strategies for their organizations.<\/h3>\n

Laurie Johnson<\/b>: Approach all projects from the business case perspective. Projects have to pencil, and if there\u2019s a circular economy aspect that\u2019s a bonus to the community.\u00a0 Efficiencies are created when systems reach critical mass.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the Circularity 25 conference workshop, we outlined a roadmap to build a circular ecosystem which includes:<\/span><\/p>\n