Atlanta: Host City for 2014 U.S. Zero Waste Business Council Conference

Laura @ podium proclaiming:
"Recycling is Sexy!"

An early pioneer in the zero waste movement, Atlanta is an ideal host city for the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council third annual conference scheduled for May 7 & 8 at the Westin Buckhead. Atlanta's Eco Warrior Laura Turner Seydel opens the conference as the keynote plenary speaker.


In 2009 Atlanta scored national media attention with the Zero Waste Zones launch. The City Aims for Zero Waste CNN story ran during prime viewing time along with homepage listing during Earth Week 2009. Later in the year, the New York Times front-page article, Nudging Recycling from Less Waste to None, featured ZWZ Champion Steve Simon, Fifth Group Restaurants partner. The Ei Media page includes a complete listing of ZWZ media.

Supported by the Sustainable Food Court Initiative Team, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport included a provision in the 2011 new concessionaire contracts requiring food vendors to use compostable foodservice packaging and separate food waste for off-site composting.

The ZWA Blog post, Atlanta Airport Makes a Bold Sustainable Statement, announces the contract provision. As the SFCI Airport Pilot, the Atlanta Airport received a 2011 Going Green Airport Award - the ZWZ Blog post, Atlanta Airport SFCI Pilot Wins National Award, gives the award details.

In 2012 the National Restaurant Association purchased the ZWZ. With the NRA serving as zero waste stewards, Elemental Impact's focus evolved to recycling refinement based in Recycling Integrity - maintaining maximum material value with minimal energy expended. Atlanta's pioneers are eager to participate in several new innovative platforms. The ZWA Blog posts, GREASE: Activating the Zero Waste Evolution and GREASE: A new frontier filled with economic & environmental promise, expand the definition of waste beyond material and diversion beyond landfill or incineration. 

Atlanta serves as the pilot city for development of a metro-wide plastic film recycling template. Intrinsic in the template is collection, consolidation and market infrastructure creation for moderate plastic film generators.  An aggressive, yet achievable, goal is to showcase the plastic film template at the 2014 USZWBC Conference.


As documented in the ZWA Blog: Powerful Industry Resource & Voice article, the 2011 USZWBC launch established zero waste as vital to business acumen and signaled the Ei "zero waste cheerleader role" was accomplished. The USZWBC mission and vision are grounded in the important role zero waste plays in best corporate operating practices:

Mission: 

The U.S. Zero Waste Business Council mission is to educate, inform and document the performance of Zero Waste Businesses using scientific methods to help businesses and communities become more healthy and sustainable.

Vision:

The U. S. Zero Waste Business Council will create a solid foundation that advances the integrity and credibility of Zero Waste. Zero Waste Businesses save money, are more efficient, manage risk, reduce litter and pollution, cut greenhouse gases, reinvest resources locally, and create jobs and more value for their business and the community.

Ei Ptrs @ 2012 USZWBC Conference

An Ei Strategic Ally, the USZWBC and Ei work closely together to maximize the tremendous synergies between their respective organizations. In June 2011 Ei founder Holly Elmore presented in the hospitality tract at the first annual USZWBC Conference in Costa Mesa, CA. Whether participating as speakers, sponsors and | or attendees, Ei Partners were well represented by BASF, CleanRiver Recycling  Solutions, Heritage Interactive Services and Piazza Produce. 


The ZWA Blog post, U.S. Zero Waste Business Council hosts first rate conference, is an overview of the impressive inaugural conference.  

Ei panel:  Holly, Chris, Scott
& Perry
photo courtesy of Amy Moreland

At the second annual USZWBC Conference in May 2013, Ei orchestrated the Zero Waste is a Team Sport panel of Ei Partners - Scott Lutocka (Piazza Produce), Chris Bradlee (BASF) and Perry Kranias (HMSHost - Tampa Airport). As the conference media sponsor Ei documented the impressive program in three ZWA Blog posts:

• Know Your Trash Up Close & Personal 
• Zero Waste Success Requires WE Consciousness
• Zero Waste is a Team Sport, a powerful USZWBC conference panel

For the third annual conference in Atlanta, Ei is the USZWBC Conference Partner as well as media sponsor. Working closely with USZWBC executive director Stephanie Barger and her team, Ei is facilitating introductions to local and regional industry leaders for plenary speaker and break out session presenter invitations. 

With ample planning time, the 2014 USZWBC Conference is staged for stardom. Atlanta is once again ready to shine in the nation's sustainability spotlight. 

... stay tuned for conference updates.