Jon Smieja
Trellis Group
Jon earned his BS in Chemistry from the University of St. Thomas and a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of California – San Diego. After graduate school, Jon joined Steelcase Inc. as their environmental chemist and eventually moved into a role as a leader in sustainable design and development. He joined Andersen Windows & Doors where he served as corporate sustainability manager and was responsible for product lifecycle assessments, material ingredient transparency, and preparing Andersen for a future in the circular economy. Jon is now the VP of Circularity and Senior Analyst at Trellis Group, a media and events company that works to accelerate the just transition to a clean economy.
Hope Theory offers a vision for the circular economy
These three steps can help apply hope to the cause of advancing circularity. Read More
7 cool sustainable packages to try: Edible cups, bamboo lip balm tubes and more
There are a host of innovations in compostable packaging. Here are some of my favorites, and why. Read More
The circular economy is about avoiding waste and fixing broken value systems
Nearly all companies and organizations have contributed to the ever-expanding mess of extraction, waste, soil degradation, environmental racism and social injustice all in the name of growth at any cost. Read More
Imagine if humans disappeared tomorrow
What would come next if humans no longer roamed (and conquered) the earth? Read More
Imagine a future where shoes are easier to recycle
What we can learn from On and Baliston, innovators experimenting with tech-augmented, recyclable athletic shoes. Read More
A skeptic's hope for packaging
Key takeaways from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition's annual Impact conference. Read More
What brands excel at recommerce?
A quick introduction to the brand resale index by Trove and OSF Digital. As you may expect for any fast-growing space such as recommerce, leaders and laggards are already distinguishing themselves. Read More
A visit to the future of electronics recycling
The brand-new Camston Wrather circuit board recycling facility in Carlsbad, California, can process 1.5 million pounds every month, a fraction of America's electronic waste. Read More
The enormous opportunity of e-waste recycling
In Minnesota alone, the value of metals and materials that could be mined from electronic waste has an estimated value of over $2.8 billion annually. Read More
Pondering chemical accidents and the industry we’ve come to accept
When materials such as asbestos were put into use, lead was added to paint and gasoline and we discovered the properties of PVC, we didn’t know any better. Now we do, and it is time to start acting like it. Read More
