BYO - US Reduces

09/14/2026

BYO-U.S. Reduces Featured in The Manila Times

We are excited to share that our recent BYO-USR gathering with Doun Moon of GAIA was featured in The Manila Times, a national English-language newspaper in the Philippines, in the opinion column “Bring Your Own: A Meaningful Way to Reduce Waste.”

The article highlights BYO as a practical and meaningful way to reduce single-use waste, and connects our webinar discussion on bioplastics, compostability claims, microplastics, and reuse to a broader international conversation about waste reduction. We are grateful to Doun for such a powerful presentation, to GAIA for its leadership, and to everyone who joined the discussion.

Read the article here: https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/14/opinion/columns/bring-your-own-a-meaningful-way-to-reduce-waste/2424056

09/14/2026

BYO-USR is honored to be featured in The Manila Times, the Philippines’ historic English-language newspaper. The article highlights how community-led Bring Your Own (BYO) initiatives are reducing waste, supporting local businesses, and inspiring action across borders. 🌎

“BYO is one of the most democratic forms of reuse.”

https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/09/14/opinion/columns/bring-your-own-a-meaningful-way-to-reduce-waste/2424056



Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Zero Waste Ithaca

IN the Philippines, we are familiar with the term “bring your own baon” (meal), or BYOB for short. The last “B” also commonly stands for bottle or booze. But BYO — bring your own — has nothing to do with baon or booze. It’s about taking reusables with you in order to avoid whatever you...

09/08/2026

Join us today!

Plus local group news, actions you can take, and what we’re reading

09/03/2026

Join us for our next BYO-USR National Gathering! 🌎🌱

Tuesday, Sept. 8 | 7 PM ET / 6 PM CT / 4 PM PT

This month, we’ll hear from Doun Moon of Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) on bioplastics and what BYO advocates need to know.

Free & online. Everyone welcome!

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/h2lDlmwEQRWyOsN5PTYVpg

More info coming from Substack soon. Subscribe at USReduces.substack.com

See GAIA’s new fact sheet on Bioplastics: https://www.no-burn.org/resources/fact-sheet-bioplastics/ for more.

04/02/2026

Register now for our next national BYO gathering with Rebecca Burgess, founder and executive director of Fibershed .

We’ll explore how local fiber systems, soil, clothing, and material culture connect with the broader work of reducing plastic and rebuilding regional economies.

The registration link is in bio! Or copy and paste this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/KqRod4b_RgyS0rBMk-z3GA #/registration

As always, we’ll end with breakout socials for BYO action takers across the country, so stay on to connect and meet new friends.

02/07/2026

We teamed up with Hila The Earth for a BYO anthem.
Thanks Hila - we love it. Enjoy 😊

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUVxnuPjru1/?igsh=MTV4OHgxZGExeHBzNA==

01/28/2026

Please join our next gathering with NYC artist ! Registration link in bio!

12/03/2025

Happy holiday season from the BYO – US Reduces family. These are moments shared from across the country in 2025 — California, Texas, Michigan, D.C., and New York — all pushing reuse forward in their own way.

If you’re out there doing BYO, tag so we can see your photos. We love seeing the work you’re doing.

Also please consider donating for our work this holiday season. We need to cover website, Google workspace and zoom. Donation link is in our bio. Or you can go here: https://givebutter.com/usreduces

11/26/2025

Peak holiday season is also peak “too much food, too much packaging.” On Tuesday 12/2 at 7 pm ET, join our next BYO-US Reduces call with Zach Shaben, Public Affairs Manager at .usa , a food-waste prevention app that connects people with surplus food from restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores at the end of the day.

We’ll talk about what’s working, where the challenges are, and how this kind of model fits into a bigger vision of real reuse and BYO. We’ll also share our new BYO-US Reduces newsletter and local group news. Registration link in bio or copy and paste this into your browser: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/noCSn2W2QJKUX1kQwqfCYA #/registration

09/27/2025

Our latest newsletter is out! Register now for the next big gathering on October 7 with Courtney Williams, Ph.D. from Westchester Alliance for Sustainable Solutions (NY, )who is fighting an incinerator in her community. The registration link is

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0rd-mprDsqGtC6YR_H3I2OpT8SMzlP1b9h #/registration

Our gathering ends with breakout socials of BYO action takers across the country so plan to stay on to connect and meet new friends.