California

'Sip, return, repeat': How this California city is trying to normalize reusable cups

Published

1 year ago

July 10, 2024

'Sip, return, repeat': How this California city is trying to normalize reusable cups

Next month, more than 30 chain restaurants and locally owned coffee shops and eateries in Petaluma, California, will begin providing beverages in reusable cups by default as part of a first-of-its-kind pilot program meant to reduce pollution from single-use plastic.

Through the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project — a three-month pilot program sponsored by a food and beverage industry group called the NextGen Consortium — customers will be served hot and cold beverages in bright purple reusable plastic cups, unless they ask for disposables or bring their own mugs. After drinking their coffees, teas, or sodas, they’ll be able to return the cups at any of the participating establishments, or at one of 60 return receptacles placed strategically throughout the city.

A reuse logistics provider, Muuse, will be in charge of collecting, washing, and redistributing the clean cups back to the coffee shops and restaurants.

Kate Daly, managing director of the impact investment firm Closed Loop Partners — which oversees the NextGen Consortium — said the program will be a major milestone. Existing reusable cup programs tend to operate in sports stadiums, concert halls, and other confined spaces where it’s easier to keep track of inventory. No other citywide program in the U.S. has made reusable cups the default option across so many different foodservice brands.

The project aims to achieve an “unprecedented saturation of reusable packaging” within Petaluma, Daly told Grist. Thanks to funding from the NextGen Consortium — founded by Starbucks and McDonald’s and supported by companies including PepsiCo and Coca-Cola — she said hundreds of thousands of reusable cups will be deployed throughout the city in preparation for the program’s August 5 start date.

Participating locations will include Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee, Dunkin’, KFC, and The Habit Burger Grill, as well as local cafes and restaurants like the Petaluma Pie Company and Tea Room Cafe. Closed Loop Partners said they selected Petaluma — a city of about 60,000 people just north of San Francisco — because of its dense, walkable downtown, and because of residents’ receptivity to reuse programs. Many people may have grown familiar with reuse last year, when Starbucks tested a smaller-scale reusable cup program at 12 locations between Petaluma and another city nearby.

Although the new program is confined to Petaluma and will only last three months, it could help inform initiatives in other cities that are seeking to do away with single-use plastic packaging, the overwhelming majority of which is made from fossil fuels. The U.S. produces close to 40 million metric tons of plastic waste every year and recycles only 5 percent of it; the rest gets sent to landfills or incinerators, or ends up as litter.

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Some types of plastic, including disposable cups, are even more unlikely to be recycled. According to the most recent data from the Environmental Protection Agency, from 2018, the U.S. produces more than 1 million tons of plastic plates and cups annually and recycles virtually none of it.

Reuse programs are supposed to help by driving down demand for new plastic packaging. Some initiatives allow customers to bring their own containers to grocery stores and restaurants; others involve store-owned containers that customers borrow and then return. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the most effective returnable container programs could reduce materials use by up to 75 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70 percent, compared to the status quo. The nonprofit also estimates that U.S. businesses could save some $10 billion in material costs if they replace just 20 percent of their single-use plastic packaging with reusable alternatives.

In designing the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project, Daly and her colleagues sought to ensure a smoother experience than what has been offered in previous trials, including some in the San Francisco Bay Area that were launched by the NextGen Consortium. One key focus was on what she called “precompetitive collaboration,” or getting businesses to buy into a common reuse system in which all of the elements — cups, logistics, messaging — are shared. This might go against companies’ competitive instincts, but it reduces costs so that businesses can participate in a larger reuse system instead of managing one on their own.

To make the program easy to participate in, the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project will be free and won’t involve any customer tracking. Most other reusable cup programs rely on financial motivations to make sure inventory doesn’t get lost — either they charge customers a small, returnable deposit when they borrow a reusable container, or they take down the customer’s credit card information so they can be charged if they fail to return the container after a set amount of time. These options often require downloading a program-specific app.

In Petaluma, however, customers won’t have to do anything to participate — they’ll just order their drinks as normal, with no additional payment or exchange of personal information. A QR code on each cup will direct customers to a website with instructions on how and where to return them — at one of the participating eateries, in return receptacles on city streets or in convenience stores and supermarkets, or by scheduling a home pickup by Muuse.

Customers in a busy coffee shop. In the foreground, some sit at a wooden table. In the background, a customer orders from a barista. The room is brightly lit. — Rob Daly, owner and president of Avid Coffee, is excited to offer reusable cups — even if they don’t have his company’s logo on them. “I don’t need the cup to say ‘Avid’ on it or have a big A,” he said. He’d rather stand out on the basis of his coffee beans’ source and quality. Courtesy of Avid Coffee

Rob Daly (no relation to Kate) is owner and president of Avid Coffee, an independent coffee shop with a location in downtown Petaluma. He said the extensive network of return locations made it a “no-brainer” to participate in the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project. Having reliable access to a return point “takes the guesswork out of the consumer’s hands and makes it easier on them,” he told Grist. “When they walk out of my store and they see a drop point, whether it’s my drop point or at multiple locations that are around me or around town — that solves everything.”

Not charging for cups or tracking customers may encourage more people to participate, but it’s also something of a gamble. If lots of customers decided to keep or forgot to return their containers, the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project Project would have no way to hold anyone accountable — it would have to eat the cost of replacing those cups. But Kate Daly said her team has taken some steps to mitigate this problem, like labeling the cups with the message “sip, return, repeat” to remind customers not to throw them away. The cups’ bright purple color is meant to make them “the right kind of ugly,” as Kate Daly put it, to discourage people from keeping them at home.

More importantly, the cups are not individually very valuable — they’re made of an inexpensive rigid plastic called polypropylene — so it won’t represent a huge loss when some inevitably go missing.

Many other reuse programs have opted for polypropylene containers too, despite concerns that they can still leach toxic chemicals and the inherent challenges with recycling them. Some environmental groups argue that single-use plastics should be replaced with reusable containers made of metal and glass, which are more inert and easier to recycle. Most plastic can only be recycled once or twice before it has to be “downcycled” into lower-quality products like carpeting.

Kate Daly said the Petaluma project chose polypropylene because it weighs less than alternative materials and thus causes fewer greenhouse gas emissions during transport. She also said stainless steel cups sometimes get watermarks on them after many washing cycles, causing customers to think they’re unclean.

NextGen’s funding for the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project will last until the end of October. After that, it will be up to city officials to decide whether they want to continue — and find a way to pay for — the program, with or without any structural changes.

Georgia Sherwin, Closed Loop Partners’ senior director of strategy and partnerships, told Grist that some return bins will stay up after the program’s end date so customers can continue bringing their cups back. “The results from the first three months of the initiative will ultimately inform the next rounds of iteration and what a continuation or future reuse program like this would look like in Petaluma and beyond,” she wrote in an email.

Once the cups are collected, Sherwin said her organization aims to “maximize their uses before being recycled,” potentially by donating them to local schools, cafeterias, and businesses.

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California

California High School Wrestlers To Watch – FloWrestling

Published

46 minutes ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

California High School Wrestlers To Watch – FloWrestling

California consistently produces an incredible amount of high school wrestling talent. The current crop of high schoolers from The Golden State has piled up a massive collection of accolades and has major next-level potential. Here’s a look at some of the top wrestlers to watch this year in California.

Michael Bernabe (Fresno) — Freshman, 106 pounds

Bernabe is one of the top freshmen in the country and is currently ranked second nationally at 106 pounds. Bernabe had a productive offseason, placing sixth in Fargo and third at the Super 32. He will be looking to run the table and win a California state title as a freshman, but it will not come easily. He will likely have #3 Luke Loren and #5 Thales Silva, both of whom are also incredible freshmen who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, at Super 32, as well as #4 Eli Mendoza.

Rocklin Zinkin (Buchanan) — Senior, 120 pounds

Zinkin is one of the nation’s fastest-rising prospects. The two-time California state finalist won his first state championship last season at 113 pounds and followed that up with an eye-popping summer, finishing third at U17 World Team Trials, winning Fargo in the Junior division and looking incredible at Super 32 on his way to the 120-pound belt. Those showings propelled Zinkin from #100 on the 2026 Big Board up to #11. The Oklahoma State commit is currently ranked #2 in the country at 120 pounds and could have a showdown with two-time U17 World Champion Sammy Sanchez this season in his quest to close his career with a second state title.

Watch Zinkin dominate in the Super 32 finals

Samuel Sanchez (Esperanza) — Sophomore, 120 pounds

The #1 prospect in the Class of 2028 Big Board is the truth. After winning the U17 World Championships in 2024, Sanchez won a state title as a freshman last season at 106 pounds and then one-upped himself by going back-to-back with his second U17 World title at 51 kg this summer in Athens, helping lead Team USA to the team championship. Sanchez is so much fun to watch, and if we were to get a matchup between him and Zinkin, it could be one of the nation’s most anticipated high school matches of the season.

Watch Sanchez win his second U17 World Championship

Moses Mendoza (Gilroy) — Senior, 132 pounds

Mendoza is another Californian who has made big jumps heading into his senior campaign. The returning state champion for Daniel Cormier’s Gilroy High School team placed third at the state tournament in 2024. He has a lengthy list of freestyle accolades. The Michigan recruit defeated his former high school teammate, Isaiah Cortez, for the Fargo Junior freestyle title at 132 pounds this summer and won Super 32 in October. The nation’s second-ranked 132-pounder could have a big test in front of him for his second state title in #3 Ashton Besmer.

Watch Mendoza win his Super 32 belt

Ashton Besmer (Buchanan) — Senior, 132 pounds

Besmer put together an incredible run to make the U17 World Team at 60 kilograms, punctuated by a sweep of U17 World champion Paul Kenny in the best-of-three championship series. Besmer also notched wins against Moses Mendoza and Manuel Saldate on his way to a Doc B title last season before finishing third at the state tournament. The Army West Point commit has worked his way up to #3 in the national rankings at 132 pounds and could be looking at a rubber match with Mendoza this season. Last year in the Doc B semifinals, Besmer defeated Mendoza 22-15 in a crazy match, but just two weeks later Mendoza got his revenge in the Five Counties finals with a 16-1 tech fall in two periods.

Watch Besmer defeat Saldate for the 2025 Doc B title

Joseph Toscano (Buchanan) — Senior, 144 pounds

The third and final Buchanan wrestler on this list, Toscano is a three-time California state runner-up, He won a Doc B title as a freshman back in 2023, followed by two runner-up finishes, and has also been fourth at Super 32 the last two years. The Cornell commit is looking to get over the final hurdle on his way to a state championship, but it won’t be easy. Along the way, Toscano could match up with the likes of #7 Ivan Arias and #17 Arseni Kikiniou.

Arseni Kikiniou (Poway) — Junior, 144 pounds

Arseni Kikiniou is an interesting prospect and a guy to watch this season. Kikiniou’s father was a Greco-Roman World bronze medalist and Olympian for Belarus before their family moved to the United States, and his influence is evident in Arseni’s wrestling. Arseni claimed a bronze medal in Greco and a silver in freestyle at the U17 World Championships this summer. Arseni has placed second and fifth, respectively, in his first two state tournament appearances. He recently made his commitment to Cornell and will be making a big jump up in weight this season to 144 pounds. It’ll be intriguing to see if his international success translates to even more folkstyle success this season, especially with a possible showdown with future Cornell teammate Toscano on the horizon.

Watch Kikiniou win his U17 Greco-Roman World bronze medal

Mason Ontiveros (Pitman) — Senior, 175 pounds

Ontiveros has had an impressive 2025, finishing second at the state tournament, taking third at NHSCAs, and placing second in Fargo in the Junior division at 175 pounds. This has vaulted Ontiveros up to #6 in the country at the weight. Ontiveros is an Oklahoma recruit who will be looking to close out his career with a state title in what could be an interesting weight class in California. As it currently stands, we could see #7 Mario Carini, #9 Travis Grace, #12 Isai Fernandez and #14 Slava Shahbazyana, along with Ontiveros, all battling it out for the 175-pound California state championship this season.

Watch Ontivero’s win in the 2025 Fargo Junior semifinals

Coby Merrill (JW North) — Senior, 285 pounds

Coby Merrill is one of the most physical wrestlers in the country at any weight class. After state runner-up finishes as a freshman and sophomore, Merrill dominated the 285-pound field last season, finishing 48-0 with 44 falls. Merrill finished sixth at the U20 World Team Trials this summer and finished second in Fargo. The second-ranked heavyweight in the country is a heavy favorite to win his second state title this season.

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California

Dramatic explosion caught on video destroys homes, injures six, officials say

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Dramatic explosion caught on video destroys homes, injures six, officials say

A natural gas line leak triggered a dramatic explosion that destroyed a Bay Area home on Thursday, injuring six people and damaging several other properties.

At least one person was inside the home before it was leveled in the blast. The individual managed to escape without injury, but six others were hurt, including three who suffered serious injuries, Alameda County Fire Department spokesperson Cheryl Hurd said.

“It was a chaotic scene,” Hurd said. “There was fire and debris and smoke everywhere, power lines down, people self-evacuated from the home. … Someone was on the sidewalk with severe burns.”

The leak started after a third-party construction crew working Thursday morning in the 800 block of East Lewelling Boulevard in Hayward struck a Pacific Gas and Electric underground natural gas line, according to a statement from the utility.

Fire crews were first dispatched to the scene at 7:46 a.m. after PG&E reported a suspected natural gas leak, Hurd said. PG&E officials were already on scene when fire engines arrived, and reportedly told firefighters their assistance was not needed, Hurd said.

Utility workers attempted to isolate the damaged line, but gas was leaking from multiple locations. Workers shut off the flow of gas at about 9:25 a.m. About ten minutes later an explosion occurred, PG&E said in a statement.

Fire crews were called back to the same address, where at least 75 firefighters encountered heavy flames and a thick column of smoke. Surrounding homes sustained damage from the blast and falling debris. Three buildings were destroyed on two separate properties and several others were damaged, according to fire officials.

Six people were taken to Eden Medical Center, including three with severe injuries requiring immediate transport. Officials declined to comment on the nature of their injuries.

Video captured from a Ring doorbell affixed to a neighboring house showed an excavator digging near the home moments before the explosion. The blast rattled nearby homes, shattered windows and sent construction crews running.

Initially, authorities suspected that two people were missing after the blast. That was determined not to be the case, Hurd said.

“They brought in two cadaver dogs looking to see if anyone was still trapped under the rubble, and the dogs cleared everything,” Hurd said.

Brittany Maldonado had just returned from dropping off her son at school Thursday morning when she noticed a PG&E employee checking out her gas meter. He informed her that there was an issue and they had to turn off the gas to her home.

She didn’t think twice about it.

“About 45 minutes later, everything shakes,” she told reporters at the scene. “It was a big boom…first we think someone ran into our house—a truck or something—and then we look outside and it’s like a war zone.”

The house across the street was leveled, Maldonado said. When she watched the footage from her Ring camera she said it looked as though a bomb inside the home had gone off.

“I’m very glad that no one lost their lives,” she said.

Officials with the Sheriff’s Office, PG&E and the National Transportation Safety Board are continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to the explosion.

In 2010, a PG&E pipeline ruptured in a San Bruno neighborhood, destroying 38 homes and killing eight people. California regulators later approved a $1.6-billion fine against the utility for violating state and federal pipeline safety standards.

Staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report

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California

Neil Thwaites promoted to ‘Vice President of Global Sales & California Commercial Performance’ for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines – Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air

Published

2 days ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Neil Thwaites promoted to ‘Vice President of Global Sales & California Commercial Performance’ for Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines – Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air

Thwaites will lead the strategy and execution of all sales activities for the combined Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines team. His responsibilities include growing indirect revenue on Alaska’s expanding international and domestic network, as well as expanding Atmos for Business, a new program designed for small- and medium-sized companies.

Thwaites joined Alaska Airlines in January 2022 as regional vice president in California. Since stepping into the role, Thwaites has significantly sharpened the airline’s focus and scale in key markets and communities across the state, strengthening Alaska’s position as we continue to grow in California. He will continue to be based at the company’s California offices in Burlingame. The moves take effect Dec. 13, with Thwaites also continuing to lead his current California commercial planning and performance function in addition to Global Sales.

Prior to Alaska, Thwaites worked in multiple positions within the airline industry, including a decade holding roles in London, New York, and Los Angeles for British Airways (a fellow oneworld member); most recently as ‘VP, Sales – Western USA’, where he was responsible for market development strategy and indirect revenue for both British Airways and Iberia across the western U.S.

Thwaites is originally from the United Kingdom and graduated from the University of Brighton with a double honors degree in Business Administration & Law.

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