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Sunday, September 26, 2010

ZWZ Director a SSO Superhero!

In mid September Ei Sponsor Harvest Power announced their SSO Superhero program with a national press release. SSO = Source Separated Organics. Superheros are recognized for their heroic efforts on the journey to create organic-free landfills.

Ei Founder & ZWZ Director Holly Elmore was honored as one of the first SSO Superheroes with a profile on the Harvest Power website and prominent mention in the press release.

The media attention is beginning with a September 22 Waste & Recycling article Company's program plans to increase organics recycling. Stay tuned for more media as an interview with a producer from Today in America is scheduled for this week.

Thank you Harvest Power!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Foodservice Industry Ready to Embrace Composting?!

Peter Romeo, renown restaurant industry author, writes about the practicality of bringing composting options to restaurants on the National Restaurant Association's blog in a post titled Compost Your Way to Zero Waste.

Zero Waste Zone Director, Holly Elmore, is quoted on the practicalities of the first step: Identify the available infrastructure consisting of collection options for food waste delivery to state-permitted facilities.

With only approximately 300 plus food-permitted composting facilities in the nation, many communities have only one option for their excess food and prep scraps: The Landfill.

The NRA 's discussion of the collection of organics for composting validates the industry is ready to mobilize on its tremendous environmental impact. In the last several years, the U.S. EPA directed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Division to place primary focus on diverting organics, including food residuals, from landfills.

As Compost, The Quiet Hero noted in his session at the NRA Show in May, food residuals in landfills are the top man-made generator of methane gas, which is 20 - 25 times more potent than naturally produced carbon. With only only 2.5% of food residuals transported for composting or other alternative options, the 31 million tons of food waste sent to landfills annually is the equivalent of 5.2 million cars on the road for one year.

The time is NOW for the foodservice industry to mobilize and demand food residual collection for composting, or other alternatives, compliant with state regulations is available through out the nation. Private enterprise is ready, willing and able to meet the pent-up demand. In many communities, regulatory and zoning roadblocks remain the two primary obstacles.

As a member of the nation's largest private sector industry, foodservice operators may cast a powerful collective message to local, state and federal regulators: The foodservice industry chooses to produce valuable compost, or other products, with the food residuals produced in their operations. Landfill destination is not acceptable as the primary or only option for these food residuals.





Join the Cork ReHarvest Movement


Since it's 2008 inception, Cork ReHarvest has led the cork recycling movement in the US and Canada, helping to collect and recycle some of the 13 billion natural corks produced each year. Visit the Cork ReHarvest website to learn why it is important from environmental, economic and social consciousness perspectives to purchase wines with cork closures and participate in the Cork ReHarvest program.

The Cork ReHarvest Mission is: Our organization is dedicated to the protection and sustainability of the Mediterranean cork forests and the families, who for generations have farmed these forests. Visit the About Us page for more details on the mission and progr
am.

The wine industry in many countries, especially Australia and New Zealand, embraces the use of screw caps over corks for their wines. On the FAQ page learn: In comparison to a natural co
rk, 24 times more greenhouse gasses are released and over 10 times more energy is used when making one screw cap.


Whole Foods joined the Cork ReHarvest program nationwide. Consumers may save corks from their home wine enjoyment and take them to the collection bins at their local Whole Foods for reharvesting.

foodservice operators serving wine to join the Cork ReHarvest program. With the environmental, economic and social impact the program is a simple way to enhance the journey on the sustainable path.