International Women’s Day 2024
This March 8, International Women’s Day, Eco-Cycle celebrates all of the capable and talented women across the globe working to curb climate change and protect the planet for future generations. We asked eight women on our staff three questions to learn more about their professional experiences as part of the Eco-Cycle team.
Josefina Mendoza
has a leadership role training facility staff at the Boulder County Recycling Center.
Job title: La líder de la línea / Line Leader
Amount of time working at Eco-Cycle: En Eco-Cycle voy a tener dos años en abril. / Two years in April.
¿Cuál es la parte más satisfactoria de tu trabajo?
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Enseñar a los empleados a clasificar los materiales.
Teaching the employees how to classify the materials.
¿Cuál es la parte más difícil de tu trabajo?
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Pues el clima; el clima está muy frío. Y el ruido de la planta.
Well, the weather; it is very cold. And the noise from the plant.
Si pudieras tener una conversación con cualquier mujer, viva o no, ¿quién sería y qué le preguntarías?
If you could have a conversation with any woman, living or dead, who would that be and what would you ask her?
Salma Hayek. Le preguntaría cómo llevar una vida feliz significativa.
Salma Hayek. I would ask her how to lead a happy, meaningful life.
Suzanne “Zan” Jones
is our fearless leader at Eco-Cycle, overseeing the entire 65-person nonprofit organization.
Job title: Executive Director
Amount of time working at Eco-Cycle: 10 years and 3 months
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Working with such dedicated and hardworking individuals who are deeply committed to creating solutions to further sustainability and equity.
How about the most challenging part?
Changing systems, which requires countering the capitalist market forces driving our overconsumption, is hard slow work when time is of the essence.
If you could have a conversation over coffee with any woman, living or dead, who would that be and what would you ask her?
Jane Goodall or Michelle Obama: What inspires your hope in these challenging times?
Kris
is a member of the CHaRM warehouse team, where she operates forklifts and front loaders, helps maintain clean recycling streams, and processes hard-to-recycle materials for shipment.
Job title: CHaRM Warehouse Recycler
Amount of time working at Eco-Cycle: 1.5 years
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The passion, excitement, and curiosity of Eco-Cycle staff.
How about the most challenging part?
The mindset of many that recycling disavows responsibility for our proclivity for consumption.
If you could have a conversation over coffee with any woman, living or dead, who would that be and what would you ask her?
Colorado mountain women who traveled west to a new frontier, and made do with what they had. Their ingenuity turned the experience of scarcity into a life of abundance.
Rosie Briggs
leads our outreach and engagement efforts at Eco-Cycle, managing the Eco-Leader Volunteer Network as well as helping municipalities develop programming.
Job title: Public Education and Engagement Senior Manager
Amount of time working at Eco-Cycle: Six-ish years!
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
We are all surrounded by people who care. And we are so powerful together when we are passionate! I see that unfold every day in this work.
How about the most challenging part?
People think the climate crisis is their fault. It’s a heavy lift to shift the story from individual blame and shame to systemic change and collective action!
If you could have a conversation over coffee with any woman, living or dead, who would that be and what would you ask her?
My mom, obviously. My question? “What’s your secret?”
Angela Peña de Niz
is an outstanding student engaged with Eco-Cycle’s policy-making efforts through the Colorado Latino Leadership Advocacy Research Organization (CLLARO).
Job title: CLLARO Fellow
Amount of time working at Eco-Cycle: About 2 months now
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Getting to see how the legislative process works from an up-close perspective and the different work that Eco-Cycle does has been super rewarding. It has been fun to see how many different programs Eco-Cycle offers and how they help communities outside of Boulder to have recycling and eco-friendly options.
How about the most challenging part?
I think that it can be challenging in the beginning getting started and trying to find your rhythm but afterwards it settles down relatively fast because the team is good at supporting one another.
If you could have a conversation over coffee with any woman, living or dead, who would that be and what would you ask her?
I think that it would be Dolores Huerta and I would ask her about what it felt like to be in charge of a civil rights movement from the background!
Kate (Christian) Ivory
works in Eco-Cycle’s business services department, offering consulting and support to local and national organizations seeking to become more sustainable.
Job title: Corporate Sustainability Manager
Amount of time working at Eco-Cycle: 6 years this Earth Day
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job has always been seeing the tangible impact of our efforts towards building a safer and more sustainable world. As a new mom, this holds even more significance for me now. Knowing that the work we do today directly contributes to a brighter future for our children and generations to come is incredibly fulfilling.
How about the most challenging part?
A. The most challenging aspect of my job is dispelling the misconception that all sustainability initiatives should inherently be less expensive to execute. In reality, many crucial initiatives, such as altering packaging, establishing take-back programs, or investing in developing end markets, require significant financial investment. Convincing businesses to prioritize these expenses amidst financial constraints can be a daunting task, yet essential for genuine progress toward sustainability.
B. Remembering that not everybody wants to talk about trash when they’re at a party.
If you could have a conversation over coffee with any woman, living or dead, who would that be and what would you ask her?
Clarissa Pinkola Estés, in her book Women Who Run with the Wolves, stated: “Asking the proper question is the central action of transformation—in fairy tales, in analysis, and in individuation.” So, I’d inquire: “What question do you most yearn to answer?” Hoping her response would lead to a cascade of stories and insights, captivating me for hours.
Cambria Miers
works in Eco-Cycle’s Schools Department, teaching environmental science and sustainability leadership skills to kids of all ages in schools across Boulder Valley School District and St. Vrain Valley School District.
Job title: Environmental Educator
Amount of time working at Eco-Cycle: 2 years
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
I love seeing students get inspired or curious about our lessons. It’s also really special every time I get to teach kids in Spanish!
How about the most challenging part?
With new information/rules coming out every so often, I work a lot on updating my teaching so that it is aligned with the most accurate science (which is also a benefit!). Plus, being around so many kids means I get sick more often.
If you could have a conversation over coffee with any woman, living or dead, who would that be and what would you ask her?
I’d love to talk to Amelia Earhart. I used to be very interested in her story as a young girl, and I’d want to learn all about her solo trip: What was it like flying solo? Did you care about setting new records and being the first female to do that, or did you care more about the journey itself?
Laura Lavesque-Catalano
manages Eco-Cycle’s consulting work under Colorado’s Technical Advisor Service Program (TASP). This initiative assists Colorado municipalities in boosting waste diversion efforts, repurposing recyclable materials, and creating new economic opportunities through innovative Zero Waste solutions.
Job title: Community Campaigns Manager
Amount of time working at Eco-Cycle: Since September 2021
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is seeing how public enthusiasm for recycling, composting, and other waste reduction strategies is being harnessed into positive and enduring change throughout Colorado communities.
How about the most challenging part?
The most challenging part of my job is staying “in the know” about all the cool developments happening in Colorado, nationally, and internationally.
If you could have a conversation over coffee with any woman, living or dead, who would that be and what would you ask her?
I would love to have a conversation with the late Madeleine Albright, former US Secretary of State. I would ask her advice on how to inspire collaboration among various interests and what tips would she have on the art of diplomatic persuasion.
