we found that people overlook waste reduction and reuse
Of course solving the root cause is the right thing to do, no argument from me!
I might suggest that very likely the USofA has a mush higher "waste generated per capita" than many other counries .. and that a number of countries are having to deal with mountains of waste shipped onto their shores by the USofA (and a few other first world offenders).
I have no argument with you, we seem to be on a similar page here :)
The US has an absolutely enormous Not-Invented-Here field around pretty much any policy discussion. It is simply inconceivable for most Americans to look for solutions outside their own borders.
The solution is called modern trash incineration plants.