ZWZ ~ Ask the Experts

 
Zero Waste Zones success is due to collaboration with government, non-profits, trade/business associations and private enterprise.  Several ZWZ partners came forth to answer questions and provide expert information pertaining to the ZWZ Criteria.  Thank you to the Sustainability Division of the GA Department of Natural Resources, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Second Helpings for your 
unwavering ZWZ support.
Visit the ZWZ~Ask the Experts page for their contact information under their field of expertise.

ZWZ Impact Goes National

The National Restaurant Association invited Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore to speak to their Sustainability & Social Responsibility Committee at the winter Board of Directors meeting held in Palm Springs.  With Sustainability & Social Responsibility one of the NRA’s four cornerstones, a strong collaboration with Ei/ZWZ/NRA makes sense and the stage is set to move forward.

Visit the Speaking Engagements page for the PPT presentation, ZWZ: Mobilizing an Industry.

At the meeting the enthusiasm was strong from top leadership with the nation's largest and most influential foodservice operators.  The industry is gearing up to support sustainability as an integral component to standard operating practices.

Check out the NRA Conserve site where operators go for education through a virtual restaurant tour or via a series of short videos designed to introduce sustainable practices in an interesting, informative format.  Chris Moyer of the NRA Conserve is amazing and did an outstanding job creating the site and producing the videos.

Stay tuned for future news on the ZWZ/Ei/NRA collaboration.  The seeds are planted for a relationship with potential to mobilize the nation's largest private sector industry into ACTION!

Drum Roll Please .... The Chris & Holly Show

The Atlanta Zero Waste Zone program was built in late 2008 with the Abbey & Holly Show.  Each of the Founding ZWZ Participants were visited by the dynamic duo of Abbey Patterson with Atlanta Recycles and Holly Elmore then the Founder of the Green Foodservice Alliance.

Buzz, Chris & Holly
Photo Credit - Doug Kunnemann

With the Atlanta template almost complete, the team has evolved into the Chris & Holly Show as national foodservice operators and cities are courted to join the ZWZ.  Chris Moyer is with the National Restaurant Association Conserve Program and Holly Elmore of Elemental Impact and the Zero Waste Zones is the second half of the duo.    

Last week Chris & Holly debuted their tag-team presentation style at the POWER - Perishable Organics Waste to Energy Recycling - meeting held in conjunction with the U.S. Composting Council's pre-conference sessions in Santa Clara, CA.

Visit the 2011 POWER meeting page for their PPT presentation on Mobilizing the Foodservice Industry to Embrace Organics Collection.

These are exciting times as we embark on completing the spiral of integrating our past with the current to make the future dimension of the corporate community operating with integrity and truth.

City of Atlanta Commits to ZWZ

In January the City of Atlanta (COA) committed to the Zero Waste Zone as a Sapling Participant!  

For success, zero waste initiatives require a collaborative effort between government, non-profits, trade associations and private enterprise. It takes courage for a City to make an official stand on zero waste and the ZWZ Team honors Mandy Mahoney, COA Director of Sustainability, for taking the bold step for Atlanta to truly embrace ZWZ..


Here is Mandy's official quote:  

Mandy Mahoney

"The Zero Waste Zone program is an innovative community led visionary activity that drives our city and region further down the path of becoming a truly sustainable community.  We're very fortunate to have great leadership and action from both business and organizations that have participated in the last two years."

The game plan is to develop a phase-in strategy of the ZWZ Criteria at the City Hall foodservice operations and then extend zero waste practices to the entire complex.  

Thank you Mandy for your vision so Atlanta may shine her blazing star of sustainability.

Stay tuned as the story is just beginning to unfold as Atlanta blossoms into her Truth as a Pioneer City in Sustainability

POWER Heads West with January Meeting

Chris, Holly & Brenda 

POWER started 2011 with a stellar meeting in Santa Clara, CA in conjunction with the pre-conference sessions at the U.S. Composting Council's annual conference.  The well-attended meeting was filled with lively dialogue ranging from pre-determined acceptable contamination levels (no go was the consensus), to the use of compostable bags, to the yard trimmings ban proposed legislation.


Brenda Platt of the Institute for Self Reliance, Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative and the D.C. Area Organics Task Force gave an excellent presentation on Organics Recovery and Biobased Materials:  Opportunities for Corporate Involvement.  


Doug Kunnemann of NatureWorks and Co-Chair of the Sustainable Food Court Initiative announced the first POWER project into the action phase.  Click here to learn about the project.


Holly Elmore of Ei/ZWZ and Chris Moyer of the National Restaurant Association's Conserve Program gave a tag-team presentation on Mobilizing the Foodservice Industry to Embrace Organics Collection.  How thrilling to witness the support of the NRA for zero waste initiatives and understand they are excited to put their education and political power behind the ZWZ program.


Visit the 2011 POWER  Meetings Page for the meeting agenda, attendees, notes and PPT presentations.  The next POWER meeting is scheduled for April 19 noon - 6:00 p.m. in Atlanta, GA.

ZWZ in GRA News

The Georgia Restaurant Association included a post on their News Page about the ZWZ Two-Year Anniversary Celebration next month.  As the ZWZ is gearing up for a major press conference with exciting news on the evolution of the program, it is important to garner the support of organizations like the GRA for maximum impact.


A collaborative community effort is essential for Atlanta to shine her blazing star of sustainability to the media .  Stay tuned for future posts on other organizations coming forth with their ZWZ support.