Thinking Outside the Recyclable Box | Featuring Sonya Carlson

This week on Everything You Didn’t Know About Herbalism, we are featuring the passionate leader of a non-profit organization that is very near and dear to our hometown, right here in Lane County, Oregon: Sonya Carlson of BRING Recycling. In this episode, Sonya and Thomas dive into how waste reduction goes far deeper than simply recycling alone, and by bringing communities together, we can all take hold of our collective and individual responsibility to care for our Earth. Through Sonya’s leadership, educational outreach, hands-on workshops, and community engagement, BRING understands that carving the path toward a sustainable future requires all hands on deck.

As always, we thank you for joining us on another botanical adventure and are honored to have you tag along with us on this ride. Remember, we want to hear from you! Your questions, ideas, and who you want to hear from are invaluable to our podcast. Please send us an email at [email protected] to let us know what solutions we should uncover next within the vast world of herbalism. 

Learn more about Sonya and BRING: 

♻️️ Sonya Carlson is a passionate leader dedicated to environmental sustainability and community impact. As the Executive Director of BRING, she spearheads strategic initiatives to advance the organization's mission to provide vision, leadership, and tools for living well on the planet we share. BRING, a pioneering nonprofit in the region, promotes sustainability through its core principles of “reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink.” Under Sonya’s leadership, BRING continues to foster a culture of environmental responsibility and sustainability across Lane County.

A significant part of BRING’s mission is its educational outreach, including the DIY Toolbox Tactics Classes, which offer hands-on workshops teaching skills in reuse, repair, and sustainability. These classes empower individuals and businesses with practical skills to reduce waste, conserve resources, and embrace a sustainable lifestyle. Additionally, BRING’s Planet Improvement Center serves as a hub for education, resource conservation, and community resilience, providing access to reusable materials and promoting waste reduction through community engagement.

Before joining BRING, Sonya served as Vice President of Operations at Earth Lab Botanicals and Wise Woman Herbals. Her career also includes extensive experience in policy-making, having served as Chief of Staff for State Representative Phil Barnhart, where she gained a deep understanding of legislative processes.

Sonya holds an MBA with a concentration in Sustainability from the University of Oregon, where she graduated as valedictorian, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Lewis and Clark College. During her academic career, she conducted greenhouse gas emissions surveys and life cycle analysis. 

A dedicated advocate for her community, Sonya serves as a Commissioner on the Eugene Water and Electric Board and is a board member of the Lane Council of Governments and the Eugene Education Foundation. She is also an active member of the Eugene Rotary Club and was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Oregon Recycling System Advisory Council to implement the Recycling Modernization Act.

With a strong business background and a keen understanding of the challenges faced by local businesses, Sonya partners with them through BRING’s Rethink Business Certification Program to help navigate regulations, best practices, and sustainability efforts. She understands the financial pressures and staffing constraints businesses face and emphasizes the importance of incentives and valuable training to drive participation in sustainability programs.

In her free time, Sonya enjoys spend