August 4, 2004 Linda Moulton-Patterson, Chair Chair Linda Moulton-Patterson: The Global Recycling Council of the CRRA has often commended the leadership of the CIWMB for its foresight and leadership in adopting Zero Waste as one of its goals in your Strategic Plan. GRC and the signatories below now call upon you to take steps to implement that goal for California with a Zero Waste Challenge, to both California communities and businesses. For communities, such a Challenge could, with your assistance, encourage communities to go beyond AB939 to adopt a Zero Waste goal for their community, and develop a Zero Waste Plan to implement that goal. With the Office of Local Assistance and the many publications and tools on your website, California communities are ready to aim beyond 50% waste diversion. The adoption of a Zero Waste Plan would also be an excellent way for communities to further demonstrate their good faith efforts For businesses, CIWMB could include in the WRAP award application process information about Zero Waste businesses (as documented at http://www.grrn.org/zerowaste/articles/companies_zw.html), a request that all applicants provide overall waste diversion rates from landfills and incinerators, and encourage businesses to highlight how they are meeting the goals of Zero Waste Business principles (see http://www.grrn.org/zerowaste/business/) in their applications. To launch this new Zero Waste Challenge, GRC requests that you send an email to all local recycling coordinators and elected officials (especially those in RMDZs) to invite them to learn more about Zero Waste at the unique set of upcoming conferences highlighted below. GRC asks that you request them to send a "delegation" to at least the International Dialog and/or the GRRN Zero Waste Conferences, including an elected official, a high level staff member, a recycling coordinator, a business leader from their community, and a community or environmental group leader. Similarly, for businesses (especially those associated with the CIWMB’s WRAP Program) GRC asks that you request them to send a "delegation" to at least the International Dialog and/or the GRRN Zero Waste Conferences, including a high level executive, a member of their facilities staff, a member of their Environmental, Health and Safety staff, a member of their design staff responsible for product design and packaging, and/or a member of their operations staff responsible for solid waste and recycling. Thank you for your past leadership on Zero Waste. We believe that you can really make it happen for many communities and businesses throughout California! Sincerely, Tedd Ward
The Global Recycling Council (GRC) is a Technical Council of the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) . The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the CRRA, other CRRA Technical Councils, or CRRA members. Upcoming Conferences in San Francisco & Oakland San Francisco and Oakland, CA will highlight some of the best speakers in the world on reuse, recycling, composting, and Zero Waste, from August 26 through September 3. Register now for these exciting events! International Dialog on Proper Discard Management in the New Millennium GRRN Zero Waste Network Action Conference National Recycling Congress & Expo NRC has negotiated some great prices with three San Francisco hotels for Congress & Expo attendees (see http://www.nrc-recycle.org/congress/sftravelinfo/sfhotels.htm). Make your reservations before August 6, 2004 to take advantage of these reduced rates. Also, the CRRA is hosting a welcome reception on Monday, August 30, from 6-9 pm, an event that you will NOT want to miss! Join CRRA after the sessions on Monday for a California Wine Tasting and San Francisco Barbecue, one short block from the Moscone Center at the Yerba Buena Gardens. This is an urban oasis of trees, meadows, and waterways. Renowned chefs from Norcal Waste Systems will be preparing barbecued entrees accompanied by pasta dishes, artisan breads and organic fresh green salad from farms using SF's compost. www.crra.com. Also consider touring the many recycling programs in the San Francisco BayArea. San Francisco has adopted a Zero Waste goal and currently recycles more than they throw away. Choose among 20 tours of some of the leading waste reduction programs in the nation. With the help of the San Francisco Department of the Environment, NRC has tours covering food and organics composting, deconstruction, plastics recycling, regional processing, creative reuse, business recycling, large venue recycling, and waste reduction in some of San Francisco's most interesting neighborhoods. You do not have to register for the NRC conference to take a tour. http://www.nrc-recycle.org/congress/sftours/index.htm
Deconstruction and Building Materials Reuse Jobs Through Recycling National Market Development Roundtable |