Scoring Goals for Reuse

Go big, or… go home and create a local, enduring reuse economy? 

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup spanning 39 days, 3 countries, and 16 host cities — and attracting almost seven million fans — it seemed to present a golden opportunity to showcase reuse at scale. And it did, just not at the World Cup games themselves. Because while FIFA didn’t choose to reuse, several host cities came up with their own reuse initiatives at Fan Fests and watch parties, and planted seeds that will have lasting impact in their communities. 

Seattle Public Utilities’ Ashima Sukhdev and Toronto Environmental Alliance’s Emily Alfred join us this episode to share their insights into how being a host city for the World Cup sparked conversation and enthusiasm for reuse systems in unprecedented ways. And while they still face many challenges, the reuse that did happen in Seattle and Toronto (and beyond) helped normalize the practice not just for soccer fans but for entire communities. 

Resources:

• FIFA World Cup: A Missed Opportunity or a Catalyst for Enduring Reuse?
• Toronto Environmental Alliance: Kicking off with reusables: The opportunity of the FIFA World Cup 26™ for Canadian events
• Reuse Seattle
• Model RFP for reusable foodware at event venues
• Reuse Wins at Events LCA report
• Episode 178: Reuse Goalposts for Stadiums & Arenas
• Episode 159: A Reuse Playbook for Stadiums

Get involved:

• Join the Reuse Solutions Network
• Support Upstream to make sure these stories continue to be heard and the reuse economy continues to grow — thank you!