The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit (MRSS) is the largest sustainability conference in the Midwest, bringing together hundreds of visionary leaders to share ideas and solutions for a healthier, more resilient, and equitable future. The annual summit features a full day of programming, including speakers, exhibitors, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities, covering a wide range of topics from climate justice and green workforce development to resilient food systems and circular economy practices. MRSS serves as a vital platform for collaboration and innovation, inspiring action and accelerating the transition to a sustainable future in the Midwest.

Shownotes

Sarah Pottle is the co-founder and regional organizer for the Rust Belt Fibershed, a grassroots initiative working to rebuild a regional textile economy rooted in sustainability and care. In this conversation, Sarah shares how the Fibershed is challenging the fast fashion status quo by cultivating a local, circular system for clothing production in the Midwest—one that connects farmers, makers, and consumers in a shared ecosystem of regeneration.

She explains the concept of a "fibershed"—similar to a foodshed—as a framework for understanding where our clothing comes from and how it impacts people and the planet. Through this lens, Sarah emphasizes the importance of “cultivating care” at every stage of a garment’s life: from the health of the soil where fiber crops are grown, to the labor conditions of textile workers, to the disposal or reuse of clothing at the end of its cycle.

Sarah discusses the environmental and social costs of fast fashion, citing the growing amount of clothing production and the declining rate of clothing use. She emphasizes the importance of caring for the entire lifecycle of a garment, from the sourcing of raw materials and the treatment of workers to the end-of-life disposal and the potential for upcycling, mending, and clothing swaps. She highlights some of the innovative projects emerging within the Rust Belt Fibershed network, including the development of small-scale mills and knitting machines, and discusses the organization’s success in securing funding from the Cleveland Foundation to host annual symposiums, which have drawn hundreds of attendees.

Episode in a glance

- Sarah Pottle & her work with Rust Belt Fibershed
- The Importance of Care in the Textile Supply Chain
- Challenges and Solutions in Sustainable Fashion
- Sarah's Journey into Sustainable Fashion
- Building Community Through Education and Engagement
- The Future of Local Fiber Production
- Impact and Success Stories of Rust Belt Fibershed

About Sarah Pottle

Sarah Pottle is the co-founder and regional organizer of the Rust Belt Fibershed, a passionate advocate for building a more sustainable and equitable textile industry in the Midwest. With a background in education, she believes in the power of community engagement and hands-on learning to inspire change.

Connect with Sarah Pottle and her work with Rust Belt Fibershed

• Website → https://rustbeltfibershed.com
• Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rustbeltfibershed

Send us a message!

The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit (MRSS) is the largest sustainability conference in the Midwest, bringing together hundreds of visionary leaders to share ideas and solutions for a healthier, more resilient, and equitable future. The annual summit features a full day of programming, including speakers, exhibitors, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities, covering a wide range of topics from climate justice and green workforce development to resilient food systems and circular economy practices. MRSS serves as a vital platform for collaboration and innovation, inspiring action and accelerating the transition to a sustainable future in the Midwest.

Shownotes

Nathan McKee is a Sustainability Analyst at Trayak, a mission-driven company helping brands create more sustainable packaging, explores the critical role of packaging innovation in fighting climate change He talks about lifecycle assessments (LCAs), circularity metrics, and the complexities of balancing environmental impact with business needs. He explains how they use software solutions and consulting services to help companies achieve their sustainability goals and meet regulatory requirements, such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees. He explains what EPR fees are and why they are becoming increasingly important in holding producers accountable for the end-of-life management of their products. He shares his background in environmental studies and how his passion for climate change, sparked by Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth," led him to Trayak.

Nathan explains what an LCA is, describing how it analyzes the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire lifecycle, from raw material extraction and manufacturing to transportation and end-of-life disposal. He shares examples of how companies are using LCAs to make changes to their packaging like right-weighting, incorporating recycled content, and switching from plastic to paper, and discusses how reusable packaging, despite the challenges it presents in terms of increased material usage and transportation, is a critical strategy for building a circular economy. He also discusses the importance of storytelling in effectively communicating complex sustainability information.

Episode in a glance

- Sustainability Analyst at Trayak
- Understanding Trayak's Role in Sustainable Packaging
- What is Lifecycle Assessment
- Innovations in Sustainable Packaging
- Real-World Applications of Sustainable Packaging

About Nathan McKee

Nathan McKee is a sustainability analyst at Trayak, dedicated to helping companies design and manufacture more sustainable packaging. With a background in environmental studies and experience in the manufacturing industry, Nathan brings a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in creating a circular economy.

Connect with Nathan McKee and his work

Trayak Website → https://trayak.com/

Send us a message!

The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit (MRSS) is the largest sustainability conference in the Midwest, bringing together hundreds of visionary leaders to share ideas and solutions for a healthier, more resilient, and equitable future. The annual summit features a full day of programming, including speakers, exhibitors, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities, covering a wide range of topics from climate justice and green workforce development to resilient food systems and circular economy practices. MRSS serves as a vital platform for collaboration and innovation, inspiring action and accelerating the transition to a sustainable future in the Midwest.

Shownotes

Jessica Glorius-Dangelo, is the sustainability manager and project manager at MA Design. She explores how they integrates sustainability into architectural design, emphasizing the importance of storytelling in unlocking funding opportunities.

Jessica discusses her journey into architecture, highlighting the influence of her father's building projects and an early college course on sustainable design that sparked her passion for giving back more than we take. She describes her experiences working on co-ops in various firms, including a pivotal experience in Beijing, where she witnessed the impact of poor air quality, further solidifying her commitment to sustainability. Jessica also explains the triple bottom line approach to sustainable design, balancing economic, social, and environmental considerations. She shares her role in leading MA Design’s internal sustainability committee and their goals for benchmarking projects, educating staff, and developing a comprehensive Sustainability Action Plan. Jessica explains how they are working to achieve the AIA 2030 Commitment, aiming for 100% of their new building projects to be carbon neutral by 2030, and how they help clients define their goals and prioritize resource efficiency, health, and wellbeing.

Episode in a Glance

- Jessica’s Journey into Sustainable Design
- Sustainable Design and the Triple Bottom Line
- MA Design’s Sustainability Initiatives
- The AIA 2030 Commitment
- Working with Certification Frameworks (LEED, WELL, Living Future)
- Jessica's MRSS Panel: Sustainability, Storytelling, and Funding

About Jessica Glorius-Dangelo

Jessica Glorius-Dangelo is a sustainability manager and project manager at MA Design, where she champions sustainable design practices and helps clients create environmentally responsible buildings.

Connect with Jessica Glorius-Dangelo and her work

MA Design website → https://designwithma.com/

Jessica’s LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-glorius-dangelo-aia-leed-ap-bd-c-well-ap-lfa-70a79574/

MA Design LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/designwithma/posts/

Send us a message!