PHOENIX, AZ -- Arizona State University (ASU), in collaboration with Bold Reuse and Swire Coca-Cola, is proud to announce the launch of a reusable cup program at the Desert Financial Arena, kicking off at The ASU Pow Wow on April 19–21, 2024. This initiative marks a pivotal milestone in ASU's efforts to reduce waste on campus.

Bold Reuse, a women-owned company on a mission to end single-use waste, is at the forefront of this initiative. Co-founded by ASU alumna and fourth generation Phoenician, Heather Watkins, Bold Reuse aims to end single-use waste by making reusable packaging easy. The company recently received a grant from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to expand its operations to the Phoenix market, with a portion of the grant directly supporting this partnership.

The ADEQ grant, aimed at helping local communities reduce landfill waste, supports Bold Reuse's vision of a future where billions of tons of waste will be averted over the next decade through the implementation of reusable packaging.

ASU has a robust waste reduction goal of a 90% diversion and 30% aversion by 2025. The reusable cup program at ASU's Annual Pow Wow is expected to serve as a testing ground for implementing larger reuse initiatives across the ASU campus to achieve these goals.

Swire Coca-Cola, the local bottler and longtime partner of ASU is committed to investing in waste reduction efforts. “Swire Coca-Cola is excited to bring this partnership to life,” said sustainability director, Mike Bernier. “Waste reduction is one of Swire’s goals and we know our customers and partners are focused on that as well.” Swire has selected Bold Reuse as its exclusive service provider of reusable drinkware. This partnership represents the first implementation of reusables with a partner customer, setting a precedent for future collaborations in waste reduction.

"We are thrilled to partner with ASU and Swire Coca-Cola in this groundbreaking initiative within the region," said Heather Watkins, co-founder of Bold Reuse. "Our goal is to demonstrate that with the right partnerships and collaboration, we can collectively make a significant impact in reducing waste."

 

"ASU is building the most innovative university in the country. Not just for the 100,000+ Sun Devils that call it home today, but for future generations and the communities we serve," added Marc Campbell, Assistant Vice President of Sustainability at ASU. "Part of that future is waste reduction. Minimizing waste and increasing reuse on campus are key strategies in reaching ASU’s circular resource system goal. With collaborative action like this, we can achieve solutions that are greater than the sum of its parts."

About Bold Reuse

Bold Reuse is on a mission to end single-use packaging waste. We make transitioning to reuse easy and affordable, providing a premium guest experience while reducing waste. The Portland Timbers, Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Convention Center, Starbucks, and Imperfect Foods have trusted Bold Reuse to implement and scale their reuse systems, diverting nearly 4 million pounds of single-use products from landfills. For more information, visit https://www.boldreuse.com.

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Mya Manibusan