Circular Arizona hosts Northern Connection event in Sedona
Sedona, Arizona — On Thursday, June 12, Circular Arizona hosted its 2025 Northern Connection event in Sedona, its largest Northern Arizona gathering to date, bringing together professionals, community members, and sustainability leaders for an afternoon of learning, connection, and circular action. Thanks to partners like Drewbies, Compost Crowd, and the City of Sedona, the event was proudly zero waste, walking the talk on circularity.
Held at the Hub in Sedona, the event featured a fresh, locally sourced lunch and a rapid-fire lineup of six inspiring presentations that spotlighted circularity efforts across the region. Attendees then toured the Sedona Recycles Community Recycling Center, gaining a behind-the-scenes look at one of Arizona’s longest-running nonprofit recyclers.
Speakers included:
Eric Glomski, of Page Springs Cellars, shared how the winery has integrated solar power, composting, and water reuse into its operations.
Darren Bingham and Richard Rushforth, from Northern Arizona University, presented on Arizona Circular Recycling Solutions — a statewide circularity data platform funded by the Arizona Board of Regents.
Kathleen Ventura, co-owner of Compost Crowd, discussed building a business that diverts organic waste and returns nutrients to local soils.
Doug Copp, board president of Sedona Recycles, gave historical context and current insights on the facility’s impact and evolution.
Fran Alvarado, of Food Recovery Network, highlighted award-winning reuse and recycling programs launched during her time at NAU, including the USEFULL container system.
Bryce Beck, Sustainability Manager for the City of Sedona, shared local initiatives and partnerships advancing waste diversion and circularity in Sedona.
Attendees connected over shared challenges and opportunities in advancing the circular economy — from municipal action to student innovation to grassroots efforts. The post-event tour of Sedona Recycles provided an up-close look at community-powered recycling in action, highlighting the drop-off system and material sorting process.
Circular Arizona hosts regional events like the Northern Connection to help fulfill its mission: to “foster an equitable circular economy and connect Arizonans through innovation, education, and collaboration.”
Circular Arizona envisions an equitable circular economy for a sustainable Arizona. Learn more about our mission and programs at CircularArizona.org.
Media Contact:
Ryan Gurr
Circular Arizona
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