WE'VE CHANGED. for good.

The Indiana Recycling Coalition
is now CIRCULAR INDIANA.

CIRCULAR INDIANA is focused on education and advocacy to strengthen the circular economy. Indiana is ready to leverage our unique strengths—manufacturing industry, transportation network, and geographic position—to eliminate waste, create jobs, and strengthen supply chains with benefits for all. Circular Indiana is here to lead the transformation.

WHY CIRCULAR?

Many challenges exist in our current linear system of take, make, waste, and dispose. The circular economy eliminates waste, captures resources, and restores nature. It functions to keep products and materials in use longer to improve the efficiency and productivity of our resources. Circular systems employ reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing AND recycling to create a continuous system. Recycling is an important part of the circular economy, but we also need to go beyond recycling. By rethinking our relationship with materials, we can redistribute the responsibility for managing waste to create a more resilient future.

For a deeper dive into the Circular Economy

OUR BACKGROUND
CIRCULAR INDIANA is a statewide for-impact, 501(c)(3) organization that convenes our members to educate, advocate, and innovate towards a better future for Indiana. We focus on uniting individuals, businesses, community organizations, and state and local governments in eliminating waste and creating a more circular economy.

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Founded in 1989 as the Indiana Recycling Coalition, CIRCULAR INDIANA inspires our members to think and act beyond recycling and towards a more circular economy in Indiana. We are not a government entity, and we rely on support from our sponsors and donors. Your support matters; what you give comes back to you.

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OUR COMMITMENT
CIRCULAR INDIANA is committed to using our platform to elevate marginalized voices and be an agent of lasting change for the intersecting issues of systemic racism and the environment. We will do this by seeking out, connecting with, and listening to diverse perspectives, pursuing lifelong personal, organizational, and community education, and advocating for just and equitable environmental policies.

OUR MISSION REMAINS

To strengthen the circular economy in Indiana through waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting.

OUR STAFF

MARLA CHERNEY

Programs Manager

She / Her / Hers

Marla is the source for all things programmatic and grammatic. Her focus lies in grants, research, and data management. As a self-described “weather nerd,” Marla’s background is in sustainability, climate science, law, and policy. She originally wanted to research climate change, but realized that compiling endless scatterplots really wasn’t her thing. Instead, she uses her passion for both words and numbers by teaching people how to live sustainably. She’s a crossword doer, trivia buff, and cat lover. Born in Wisconsin, Marla is a connoisseur of cheese, sausage, wine, and football. |Marla’s tasks include programs, educational resources, and how to be more circular.

Cortnee Yarbrough

Director of Strategic Engagement

She / Her / Hers

Cortnee is your connection to making a difference for a more circular economy. Her experience is in development and she is ready to guide you through building a relationship with Circular Indiana. She inherited her commitment to environmental stewardship from her nature-loving dad who dressed as Smokey Bear when she was little, and she has the photos to prove it. Those childhood experiences - and her degrees in political science, nonprofit management, and urban sustainability - position her well to connect you and your organization to a shared vision for Indiana. Cortnee shines in the kitchen. She’s a lover of cooking, baking, and making, and follows the Indiana food and artisan scene. |Cortnee’s capacity focuses on donor funding, sponsorships and business relations.

BOARD OFFICERS

PAM FRANCIS (Private)
Circular Indiana, President
Schott Design

MICHAEL DAVIS(At-large)
Circular Indiana, Treasurer

David Jose(At-large)
Circular Indiana, Secretary

Our board is composed of members representing three organizational sectors (private/business, public interest, and government) as well as at-large members who represent the general public.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MORGAN BENNETT(Public Interest)
Green Broad Ripple

Robert Christian(Private)
Strategic Materials, Inc.

Sarah Turner(Private)
Pratt Industries

AARON FRIEDRICH(Private)
Environmental Resources Management

KEN MILLER(At-large)

RACHAEL HOOVER lEKIC(At-large)

LINDSAY MCGUIRE(At-large)

Sponsors

Thank you to our annual sponsors for their generous support of Circular Indiana and our work to strengthen the circular economy in Indiana.