We had the good fortune of connecting with Steven Winterbach and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steven, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The idea for Next Use was conceptualized in 2020 when Steven and Ross were tired of reading of how bad things were so we came together and began planning to help the environment in a positive way. We shared a passion for the environment and wanted to do something that could make an impact for the better. We focused on waste diversion as not many programs currently existed to empower people to compost and recycle. Landfills are incredibly harmful to the environment and we are dedicated to diverting as much away from landfills as possible. Next Use aims to make waste management easier for households through their door side services, designed primarily for people who don’t have access to municipal composting and recycling services and anyone else is looking for a hassle-free service.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Next Use provides at-home composting and recycling services in Denver, Broomfield, and Westminster. Our goal is to limit the amount of waste that goes into landfills. Surprisingly, the landfill diversion rate in Colorado is only 15.9%, with the national average at 32.1%! Through our door side services, Next Use provides composting and recycling services to those who do not usually have access, such as apartment buildings or new communities. We are working to create a more accessible and efficient model for waste diversion. With our variety of door side services to choose from, our team aims to make waste diversion easier for everyone.

What we do with our waste matters, but landfill-diversion strategies often are overlooked in policies designed to reduce our climate impact. Our waste in landfills is worsening the climate crisis, but our waste as compost is a valuable part of the solution. We are incredibly humbled that people are joining us on this journey and practicing sustainability for the health of our communities and planet. Moving through challenges and generating solutions has been extremely rewarding and we’re excited to continue our growth.

We genuinely care about what we do and about providing exceptional customer service. We want to have a conversation with you to come up with solutions. Reach out and let’s have a chat.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would start the day with breakfast at either Crema Coffee House or Fox Run Cafe. The Denver Botanical Gardens is a must see, there are so many great spots to sit and enjoy nature in the city. For a great quick bite to eat, stop by Pizzeria Locale before walking around RiNor Cheesman Park. Dinner has so many great options in Denver, we would recommend Safta for Mediterranean cuisine or Izakaya Den for amazing sushi. To finish off a great day, cocktails at Death & Co is an absolute must.

Great coffee spots are Lekker Coffee, Weathervane Cafe, and Pablo’s.
Amazing lunch spots are Leven Deli Co, Marczyk Fine Foods, D Bar, and the Denver Central Market.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Our partners Rebecca Curry and Brittany Livingston. They have been with us every step of the way and assisted us with way more than they initially thought. Rebecca is an attorney and policy council with a nationwide environmental organization. She shares the same drive and passion for the wellbeing of the planet and we could not have done this without her. Brittany is a marketing professional with significant experience working with big brands throughout the U.S. and has been instrumental in guiding us to get Next Use off the ground and onto future successes.

Website: https://www.next-use.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuseco/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NextUseRecyclingComposting/

Image Credits
Bryan Rowe Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.