Second National Zero Waste Action Conference
“Building Zero Waste Communities: Tools to Take Home”
May 23-25, 2005 New York, New York

back | See 2004 Conference | Agenda | View Brochure [pdf]

Two great minds of the 21 st Century are on the Zero Waste bandwagon …are you? Come hear and meet with Peter Montague, Co-Director of the Environmental Research Foundation and Editor of RACHEL’s Environmental and Health News , on “Zero Waste and the Precautionary Principle,” and David Morris, Vice President of the Institute for Local Self-R eliance and Director of the New Rules Project, on “ the Power and Importance of Changing Local Rules to Create a Zero Waste Society.”

You will not want to miss this two-and-a-half day gathering with some of the leading advocates and technical experts in the industry who will provide you with the tools and processes to choose, plan and implement Zero Waste in your community!

What is “Zero Waste in Action?” Come learn about Resource Recovery Parks, Extended Producer Responsibility initiatives, Design for the Environment campaigns, and Job Creation programs.

Join your progressive peers working in New York, the U.S. and Canada to discuss challenges and different program approaches. Strategize your own Zero Waste plan for your region by building off other community’s ongoing planning processes.

What are the Tools to Take Home? We want to help you get your community moving toward Zero Waste, so some of the useful take-aways from this conference will include a framework for introducing Zero Waste to your community’s legislators and stakeholders, sample policies and legislation, resources and references for building infrastructure, community planning handbooks, promotional campaign artwork and other how-to’s.

Planning for Zero Waste? Bring a delegation from your community!

To start organizing your community around Zero Waste, we encourage you to bring a delegation with you. We suggest at least 2 or 3 of the following individuals: elected officials, top city management, solid waste program managers, business leaders, and members of community organizations.

Conference Agenda:

Monday, May 23rd

8:00-9:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00-9:15 Conference Open

9:15-10:30 Keynote Sessions

• Peter Montague, Co-Director of the Environmental Research Foundation and Editor of RACHEL’s Environmental and Health News
  “Zero Waste and the Precautionary Principle: An Idea Whose Time Has Come”
• David Morris , Vice President of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and Director of the New Rules Project “The Power and Importance of Changing Local Rules to Create a Zero Waste Society”
• Q&A

Moderator: Eric Lombardi , Executive Director, Eco-Cycle

10:30-10:45 Break

10:45-11:45 Panel: “Upstream & Downstream – The Full Zero Waste System”

• “Upstream = Designing for Zero Waste”

Robin Schneider, Director, Public Research Works
“Upstream = Designing for the Environment, Clean Production and
Extended Producer Responsibility”

• “Downstream” = Building Infrastructure for Zero Waste: Resource Recovery Parks

Rick Anthony, International Zero Waste consultant,
“ Commodity and Service Analysis for Jobs and Sustainability.”

Mark Gorrell, Architect, Urban Ore and designer of Resource Recovery Parks: “Downstream = 12 Master Categories and RRPs”

• Q&A

Moderator:Brenda Platt, Co-Director, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

11:45-12:30 Break Out into five Group Meetings

• Upstream Issues with David Morris and Peter Montague
• Downstream Issues with Rick Anthony and Mark Gorrell

12:30-1:30Lunch provided

1:30-3:00 “Open Space” Break-out Sessions, Intro with Rebecca Bauen, Interim Executive Director, GRRN

A chance to network with your peers and discuss with experts the challenges you are experiencing in your specific community

3:00-3:15 Break

3:15-4:30 Panel : “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs”

• Omar Freilla, Director, Green Worker Cooperatives
• Joanne Derwin, Co-Director of NY Apollo
• Martin Borque , Director, Berkeley Ecology Center

Moderator: Alan Silverstein, Co-Director for the Center for Ecological Technology

(OR)

• Continuation of the Open Space Break-Out Sessions

4:30-5:00 Sum up the day, announce tours, tribute to eco-Heroes recently passed:
Neil Seldman, Director, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

5:00-9:00 Reception. : Munchies, Drinks and Dancing!

Music by DJ Chrome, the Soundz of Justice and Recycled Funk ( www.djobah.com). 

Tuesday, May 24 th

8:30-9:00 Continental Breakfast

9:00-9:05 Conference Open

9:05-9:20 Keynote Session

• Annie Leonard, Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives (GAIA)“Framing the Zero Waste Debate”

9:20-10:45 Panel: “Choosing Zero Waste for your Community”

• Timothy Logan, Lead Organizer, NYC Zero Waste Campaign
• Donna Barlow Casey, Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District
• Gary Liss, Coordinator, Zero Waste International Alliance

Moderator: Omar Freilla, Director, Green Worker Cooperatives

10:45-11:00 Break

11:00-12:30 Panel: “Planning for Zero Waste”

• Barbara Warren, Co-Author, "Reaching for Zero: The Citizens Plan for Zero Waste in NYC"
• Chris Luboff, Solid Waste Program Manager, Seattle Public Works
• Mary T'Kach, Executive Director of Environmental Sustainability, Aveda Corporation

Moderator: Carly Weir, Executive Director, Summit Recycling

12:30-1:30 Lunch provided

1:30-3:00 Panel: “Implementing Zero Waste”

• Laurie Lewis, Waste Diversion Planning Coordinator, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Wendy Neu, Vice President of Governmental & Environmental Affairs, Hugo Neu Corporation
• Eric Lombardi, Executive Director of Eco-Cycle, Boulder, CO

Moderator: Rick Anthony, International Zero Waste Consultant

3:00-3:15 Break

3:15-5:00 Conference Closing Session and moving forward.

Tuesday Evening Tours 5-8 p.m.

Choose one of two options:

• Reuse – Materials for the Arts and Build it Green;
  
  OR
  
• Toxics–Green Worker Cooperatives & Sustainable South Bronx.
  Wine and snacks served after tours.

Wednesday, May 25th

Morning Tours 9 a.m.-noon

Choose one of two options:

• Organics – Lower Eastside Ecology Center &
  Riker’s Island NYC Corrections Facility;
  
  OR
  
• Recycling – Hugo Neu andVisy Paper Plant.

TO REGISTER or for more information, visit www.grrn.org.
GrassRoots Recycling Network (GRRN) is a North American network of recycling professionals and waste reduction activists pushing public policy and corporate practice beyond recycling.