Upstream is a US-based non-profit driving change toward a robust and enduring reuse economy in the US & Canada by normalizing reuse, growing and supporting the reuse industry, and ensuring a supportive policy environment. Our work lies at the nexus of plastic pollution, climate change, and environmental justice.

Ustream logo in black and white.

Reuse is an impact investment opportunity

Capitalizing on a robust, enduring economy

Re-routing funding for solutions

Millions upon millions of dollars are currently invested in what people falsely believe to be full solutions to the problem of single-use waste and plastic pollution. Recyclable and compostable packaging are great in theory, but in practice they are fraught with problems and do not provide the full solution to all the problems caused by single-use.

Green recycling bin with symbols, trash items flying into it, indicating waste or recycling.

Recyclable Packaging

  • Most ends up in landfills

  • Subject to market volatility 

  • Often down-cycled (especially glass & plastic)

Green compost bin with a white outline of a plant with leaves on it

Compostable Packaging

  • Most ends up in landfills, producing methane gas

  • Takes more resources to create

  • Much contains PFAS

Reuse service for foodservice, beverage, and consumer goods is a burgeoning and in-demand new industry. Reuse is an economic engine for our country and a solid way to build community wealth and resilience in the face of new challenges.

Diagram showing how reuse services work for packaging and containers, including purchase, collection, washing, and restocking of reusable packaging.

The impact/infrastructure relationship

Reuse infrastructure—the wash facilities (i.e., buildings) and the equipment (vehicles, dishwashing machines, etc.) that make the collection, wash, and redistribution logistics of reusable packaging possible—has a high upfront expense. Only when reuse infrastructure exists is reuse possible and everyone can benefit. This is very similar to the solar industry. The benefits and cost savings with the solar industry happen over time after the initial capital investment.

A diagram illustrating how infrastructure investment benefits economic growth. It highlights that such investments make financials work, enable environmental payoffs, increase capacity to process volume, and allow all businesses to gain access to reuse, leading to high volume and usage rates.

The Opportunity: Reuse in Sports & Entertainment Venues

Upstream is accelerating the adoption of reuse by stadiums and arenas as a means to catalyze the buildout of the infrastructure in metro areas.

An illustrated map of a city featuring an arena labeled 'Anchor Venue', a wash hub, and nearby buildings. Roads, trees, and people are visible.

Arenas and stadiums check three of the most important reuse boxes – volume, return, and reach – exposing millions of people to reuse every day and normalizing it as part of our everyday lives.

Once a stadium or arena decides to go reusable, they become an anchor contract for a reuse service provider. The reuse service provider can take an LOI or forward service contract to the bank to build out the infrastructure to accommodate the volume in that metro area. 

Once the infrastructure exists, every other sector in that metro area – schools, hospitals, grocery stores, local producers – can access reuse services at the cost that works for them, because the economy of scale has been established. 

Green Sports Alliance: Ripe for Reuse

The Green Sports’ Alliance’s membership is made up of 100% of sports teams and venue operators in the United States. They help their members understand how they can positively affect people and the environment, and they guide them to more positive actions and operations. If we look only at the membership of the Green Sports Alliance, Reuse Service Providers servicing those venues have only captured a small slice of the Green Sports Alliance’s total market.

Pie chart showing 5% segment labeled with Green Sports Alliance logo in the center.

95% of the market is using single-use.


Over 300 venues which are members of the Green Sports Alliance represent the uncaptured market share.

Logos of various Major League Baseball teams arranged in two rows.

$40M investment = 12 new markets in 3 years

Comparison of metro areas with reuse infrastructure in 2025 and 2028, showing an increase of 12 markets in 3 years.

Investment in reuse service providers represents catalytic capital

Investment in reuse unlocks the market's potential, establishing the infrastructure that creates a flywheel effect for sustainable growth without requiring proportional ongoing investment. Catalytic capital in the amount of $40M would allow for 36 venues to shift to reuse, lending exponential impact of reuse infrastructure in 36 metro areas that could then service schools, restaurants, and shops.

A graphic illustrating the process of reducing pollution and saving money: On the left, a piggy bank with a coin symbolizes saving money; in the middle, a trash bag represents waste collection; on the right, a factory with emissions and an engineer or worker wearing a helmet, signifying pollution control and environmental safety.

The impact of investing in 12 new markets / 36 new venues

This represents only 12% of the Green Sports Alliance member market that is ready for action.

Upstream Policy Institute, Inc. (DBA Upstream®) is a private, 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit corporation, with tax ID #43-2038678. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.