Source + Soil is a consulting practice for packaging producers navigating new Extended Producer Responsibility laws — and for the communities learning how to unlock reimbursement and build recycling programs that qualify for funding.
Circular Economy, Grounded in practice
We sit at the table with producers, PROs, and local governments — because EPR only works when everyone is speaking the same language.
For packaging producers and PROs navigating multi-state obligations in Oregon, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Washington, and Maryland.
For municipalities and regional programs ready to unlock the funding that EPR laws now make available to them.
For communities, tribes, and service providers analyzing system gaps & designing the programs that EPR funding is meant to support.
Currently serving clients across all seven EPR-active states.
Our founder has hands-on operational experience — designed drop-off centers, stood up nonprofit and for-profit curbside programs, and written educational how-to guides for business leaders and the public. We know what it takes to run a program — not just analyze one.
Our experience drafting ordinances, regulations, and statewide statutes means we read EPR laws for intent and specifics. That translates into compliance paths producers can actually follow.
Strategic framing for the C-suite, and the technical specificity your operations, legal, and finance teams need. We don't hand off — we ride it down to implementation.
Kara's background in recycling and producer responsibility is long and varied. On the operations side, she's helped design and establish hard-to-recycle drop-off centers and curbside collection programs. On the policy side, she's drafted ordinances, regulations, and statewide statutes. Underpinning these, she's designed and managed feasibility studies and financial models to guide business pivots and transformations over time. From this, comes an understanding of how legislation, regulations, and operational pathways must be written to actually function on the ground, and she effectively advocates to keep the work grounded in field expertise.
A strategic, big-picture thinker, Kara knows where the technical details must ultimately lead — and she actively seeks out communities of practice, engaging others in the purpose and process of creating workable solutions. In that work, she'll ask powerful questions, invite diverse voices to the table, and help organizations incorporate learning into the system.
Most engagements start with a free 30-minute call. Bring your questions — we'll bring a concrete next step.
