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Zero Waste: From Philosophy to Practical Implementation, September 17, 2009
Description
The “zero waste” philosophy aims to minimize waste and resource consumption in order to conserve energy, mitigate climate change, reduce water usage, prevent toxics creation, and minimize ecosystem destruction. With almost one-third of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the acquisition of materials, reducing consumption has the potential to significantly affect climate change.
As more and more local governments and businesses commit to achieving zero waste, innovative techniques to reach this goal are being piloted across the country. From source reduction to product re-design to reuse to eliminating incentives for raw material extraction and landfilling, the path to zero waste requires moving beyond recycling to a more integrated and holistic resource management system.
Join us to hear the latest in our progress towards zero waste. Learn more about the practical implementation of zero waste plans and different methods of eliminating waste disposal. Participate in a panel discussion with experts in the field: Gary Liss (Consultant, Gary Liss and Associates), Kathy Frevert (California Integrated Waste Management Board), and Holly Ellmore (Green Foodservice Alliance).
Speakers
Kathy Frevert serves as the team leader for Extended Producer Responsibility at the California Integrated Waste Management Board (Board), currently part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The team is charged with implementing the Board’s strategic directive to develop producer-financed and producer-managed systems for product discards. Over that past 17 years at the Integrated Waste Management Board, Kathy has served as a facilitator for the State’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Task Force and the State’s first Sustainable Building Task Force, in additional to working on several source reduction program development projects.
Zero Waste California (PDF) (18 pp, 689K, About PDF)
Gary Liss has over 35 years of experience in the solid waste and recycling field. He is now President of Gary Liss & Associates (GLA) 
, a Zero Waste consulting firm. Mr. Liss is a leading advocate of Zero Waste and has helped more communities develop Zero Waste plans than anyone else in the U.S. He was a founder and past President of the National Recycling Coalition and was Secretary to the California State Senate Task Force on Waste Management in 1989, which led to the adoption of AB939 and related recycling legislation in California. Mr. Liss was also Solid Waste Program Manager for the City of San Jose where he initiated and managed their nationally recognized model recycling programs, which resulted in their current overall diversion rate of 62%.
Zero Waste: To Cool the Planet (PDF) (19 pp, 1.1MB, About PDF)
Holly Elmore is the Founder and Executive Director of the Green Foodservice Alliance (GFA), an affiliate of the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA). The GFA works with pioneers in the industry on creating templates for eco-friendly policies and procedures for others to follow. Holly has over 15 years of experience in the foodservice arena. In February 2009, the Zero Waste Zone (ZWZ) in Downtown Atlanta, a partnership of GFA and Atlanta Recycles, was announced as the first such zone in the southeast and one of the first in the nation. The focus for the charter participants is the largest foodservice operations in the zero waste zone, including convention facilities, event and entertainment venues, hotels and restaurants. In the second phase, all foodservice operators will be recruited for participation.
Zero Waste Zones: From Philosophy to Implementation (PDF) (11 pp, 354K, About PDF)