The Dream

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Return Recycling is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to building zero waste pathways for educational institutions through data-oriented infrastructure, analytics, and engagement strategies. We dream of a day when our waste systems are revolutionized to support a community-centered, circular economy where nothing goes to waste.

Return Recycling was founded in 2014 with the goal of constructing and installing innovative infrastructure at New York University. Since then, we have expanded our focus to include areas such as itemized waste characterization, zero waste consulting, and materials research.

The Team

Featured
Davis Saltonstall - Director
Davis Saltonstall - Director

davis@returnrecycling.com

Davis is the Director and Co-Founder of Return Recycling. He is a recent graduate from NYU with a double major in Environmental Studies and Economics. Over the past 3 years he served in various positions with EarthMatters, the school’s largest environmental organization, worked as a Recycling Coordinator, and interned underneath the North East Clean Energy Council’s accelerator for cleantech startups. He was a 2014 Spark Clean Energy Fellow and a 2015 Udall Scholar.  

Tessa Rosenberry - Director of Communications
Tessa Rosenberry - Director of Communications

tessa@returnrecycling.com

Tessa is the Director of Communications and Co-Founder of Return Recycling. She's a recent graduate from NYU with a major in environmental studies and minors in fine arts, cinema, and Spanish. She has worked with NYU's Office of Sustainability, the National Parks Service, GrowNYC, and Sprout Up in environmental education and engagement. An aspiring banjo player, she also enjoys wandering, good humor, and snacks.

Aryn Aiken
Aryn Aiken

Aryn is in her third year at NYU studying Environmental Science and Math. She spent her first year in Florence, Italy and is convinced it was actually a very long dream. Now in New York, she is compelled to become a young creative and/or drop everything to sail around the world with her dad.

Katie Schulz
Katie Schulz

Katie is a senior at NYU studying ecology, with a particular interest in urban ecology. She became interested in urban plant life, especially, after helping to found a community garden at her high school in Milwaukee. She also has a strong interest in journalism, the media, and writing and would love to incorporate this into her studies of urban ecology. In her free time she enjoys learning bass, spending time with friends, and catching up on her list of movies she should have already seen by now.

Lydia Cap
Lydia Cap

Lydia is in her fourth year at NYU where she is studying the relationship between the natural environment and urban development in the Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She is also pursuing a minor in public health and has studied abroad in Ghana, Senegal, and Australia. When she's not traveling, Lydia spends her free time cooking and experimenting with DIY beauty products.

Solange Fortenbach
Solange Fortenbach

Solange is a sophomore at NYU double-majoring in Politics and Environmental Studies, minoring in Computer Science. She realized her passion for protecting the environment when she was a senior in high school, taking AP Environmental Science. Someday, she hopes to pursue a career in environmental law. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing piano, and walking.

Moonrose Cheng
Moonrose Cheng

Moonrose is a cognoscenti in almost everything. She likes to read, explore, and laugh, as the generic person does. She is also quite witty. Most people would describe Moonrose as unique and eccentric at times. She is oddly fascinated with dogs and obsessed with YouTube. Her other passions include being a nerd, specifically a science, technology, and eco-nerd, and pretending to be an expert. You should get to know her because someday she will succeed in life and it will be great.

Mia Fichman
Mia Fichman

Mia is going into her second year of studies, and though she is unsure what she is studying, she is passionate about the environment, film and sociology. She was leader of her high school’s environmental club and is very excited about continuing her involvement in environmental activism through Return Recycling and Sprout Up. Her favorite TV show is The Office and enjoys finding new coffee spots around NYC. 

The Story