14 May Getting to Zero (Waste) – with Bob Gedert & David Hogan, part 1

This blog is a quick review of things learned at the Interfaith Environmental Network symposium of May 7, 2013, “Getting to Zero (Waste) – with Bob Gedert.” See some of our promotion about that symposium here.

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Mr. David Hogan, an outstanding member of the Interfaith Environmental Network of Austin’s Energy Action Team, and a leading activist from the Central Texas Zero Waste Alliance, approached us about doing a symposium with Bob Gedert on Austin’s Zero Waste plan earlier this year. We were pleased David could bring all of this together.

Mr. Hogan introduced the evening by sharing a brief on what “Zero Waste” means. There’s more to it than not having trash anymore, he says. Specifically, a zero waste municipality maintains and improves an ongoing effort to meet the Zero Waste Hierarchy. In the “hierarchy,” disposal is a last resort and efforts to increase materials reuse take top priority.

In explaining what zero waste means, David referenced the eco-effective vision of achieving a cradle to cradle waste system, wherein technology and industry strive to imitate nature, making “waste = food” at every opportunity. David highlighted the defining criteria of the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA.org), founded 2003 –

• Recover all resources for reuse
• Eliminate toxins and harmful discharges from the waste/reuse cycle
• Promote product design that enables deconstruction, reuse, and recycling

Some benefits of living in a zero waste municipality highlighted by Mr. Hogan:

• Resource conservation & energy savings
• Emissions reduction for a product over its lifecycle
• Growth in a “clean” job sector as services are created to meet demand

Nationwide, America is currently recycling about 32% of its waste. Austin is doing a little better, on track to achieve about 40% waste reuse in 2013. David also proposed that waste reuse is “a moral issue” and that houses of worship can lead by setting an example, inspiring individual action, and facilitating zero waste activities.

View:

David Hogan’s slides: tinyurl.com/ZW-IEN

Austin's Zero Waste Masterplan: tinyurl.com/ZW-AustinMasterPlan

Related activities for houses of worship: tinyurl.com/ZW-BecomingCarbonPositive

Visit:

Central Texas Zero Waste Alliance: ctzwa.org

IEN’s Energy Action Team: interfaithenvironment.org/events/energy-action-team.html

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Read Part Two here!