Finger Lakes ReUse is an award-winning organization celebrating its 15th year serving residents of Tompkins County and beyond. With thousands of material donors and shoppers weekly and retail sales from its two ReUse Centers growing an average of 20% annually for the last 10 years, the business and demand for services is growing, and while the work is labor-intensive, worker engagement is strong and workforce development opportunities abound. With more than 80 living wage employees, 10 apprentices, 10 youth workers and hundreds of volunteers, more than 750,000 items were kept in use in 2022, at an average price of $3.20 per item.
U.S. waste is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, while burning fossil fuels is the primary contributor. Creating a model set of systems to help effectively and comprehensively capture and divert 100% of the potentially reusable, recyclable, compostable and repairable materials and minimizing ongoing production and transport of materials with value is not a small consideration, and will require collaboration and focus. The good news is that this is an effort that appeals across the political spectrum, and conversations in NYS and across the country are actively ongoing to create a more effective, just, and comprehensive materials management system to effectively manage the waste that currently is plaguing our communities and our planet.
Finger Lakes ReUse has received several honors, including the New York State Environmental Excellence Award, the Environmental Champion Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Recovery Friendly Employer of the Year from the Alcohol & Drug Council of Tompkins County, Nonprofit of the Year from the Chamber of Commerce, and Ithaca Times Best of Ithaca Awards for each of the last 5 years.
BIO
Diane Cohen is chief executive officer of Finger Lakes ReUse, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2007 in Ithaca, NY to help Tompkins County transform waste into community value, and has been working professionally in material management since 2001.
Now operating two Community ReUse Centers among other programs, Diane is working collaboratively with numerous multi-sector partners to design a more effective materials management system for reusable and repairable materials to remain circulating in the local economy.
Diane was honored to receive the eChievement Award from eTown Radio in 2017 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from NYSAR3 (New York State Association for Reduction, Reduce & Recycling) in 2021.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 958 6631 3240
Passcode: NYRocks