Milestones

In 2011, with the National Restaurant Association collaboration, Zero Waste Zones are embarking upon a national expansion program. Below is a recap of the milestone events, players and ACTION that make the ZWZ vision a reality. Click here to learn how you may join the journey.
 

2012

January:

• 18 – The POWER – Perishable Organics Waste to Energy Recycling – meeting was held as formal session at the U.S. Composting Council conference.  The ZWZ Blog post, USCC 20^th Annual Conference – STELLAR – gives the details.
• 09 & 10 – Simon Property Group, Hilex Poly & Ei took a road trip to Charlotte to set into ACTION the Sustainable Food Court Initiative Pilot at Concord Mills and plastic film recycling projects at the Simon malls in Charlotte.  The ZWZ Blog post, 2011 Planning = 2012 ACTION, gives details of the fun, important trip.
• 10 – The ZWZ Blog topped the 30,000 page views milestone.

2011:

December:

• 19 – EcoLogic Solutions joins the Ei Sponsor Team as the first partner in the Toxic-Free Environment focus.
• 14 - Ei orchestrated and the National Restaurant Association hosted a collaborative meeting of the non-profits and trade associations for the sustainable foodservice packaging value-chain, representing the supply (manufacturers), demand (foodservice operators) and destinations (composting).  The ZWZ Blog post, Sustainable Foodservice Packaging Meeting, gives details of the monumental meeting.
• 12 – Ei orchestrated an introductory meeting of  the National Restaurant Association and the U.S. Composting Council leadership to build on the organizations’ synergies.  The ZWZ Blog, NRA Leads Industry Collaboration, gives details on the meeting.
• 05 & 06 –  Ei Chair Scott Seydel and Founder Holly Elmore joined forces for the first time as a film crew at the Sustainable Food Court Initiative Atlanta Airport Pilot.  The ZWZ Blog post, Ei | ZWZ Film Crew Debuts, gives a recount of the inaugural photo shoot.

November:

 

• 22- The ZWZ Blog hits the 25,000 page view milestone, only 65 days after surpassing 20,000 page views.
  
• 19 –Ei is a partner with the Institute for Local Self Reliance in consulting contracts and other projects. The ZWZ Blog post, Ei Partners with ILSR, gives details.
  
• 16 – Ei hosts the second annual Ei Sponsor & Advisory Council Meeting for projects overviews and strategy sessions. The IMPACT Blog post, 2011: An Amazing Year for Ei, recaps the powerful meeting.
  
• 08 & 09 – The SC Hospitality Association returned to ATL for a second ZWZ tour focused on logistics and composting facility permits. The ZWZ Blog post, A ZWZ Encore Performance, gives an overview of the two days of tours & meetings.

October:

• 31 – Michael Cheyne, Atlanta Airport Director of Asset Management & Sustainability, accepted the 2011 Going Green Airports Award for the Sustainable Food Court Initiative Atlanta Airport Pilot.  The ZWZ Blog post, Atlanta Airport SFCI Pilot Wins National Award, gives the details.
• 31 – Atlanta Airport includes a contract provision in the concessions RFP requiring food vendors to use compostable packaging.  The ZWZ Blog post, Atlanta Airport Makes a Bold Statement, includes the specific language and other details.
• 14 – The ZWZ National Zone launches with the Tampa International Airport, Charlotte Douglass International Airport and the Concord Mills in Charlotte, NC.  The ZWZ Blog post, It’s Official: ZWZ is National, gives the details.
• 04 – Ei Founder & ZWZ Director, Holly Elmore presents on Recycling Integrity at the National Restaurant Association’s Annual Quality Assurance Executive Study Group meeting.  The ZWZ Blog post, Recycling Integrity Introduced at the NRA Quality Assurance Meeting, gives an overview.

September:

• 21 – Ei Founder & ZWZ Director Holly Elmore speaks in an impressive session, Foodservice Packaging Initiatives: A View from the Outside, at the Foodservice Packaging Institute’s Denver, CO meeting.  The ZWZ Blog post, FPI Educates on Packaging Evolution, includes a recap of the session. 
  
• 18 – The ZWZ site launches. In the past, the ZWZ were included as a section of the Ei site.
  
• 18 – The ZWZ Blog moves beyond 20,000 page views, a major milestone for the powerful communication tool.

August:

• 08, 09 & 10 - Scott Seydel, Ei Advisory Council Chair and Global Green Chair, and Holly Elmore, Ei Founder & CEO, met up with Chris Moyer, National Restaurant Association Program Manager, in Washington D.C. for a 2 1/2 day meeting marathon. The ZWZ Blog post, Ei|NRA’s Meeting Marathon, gives an overview of the meetings and the Ei FB album, 08-11 Ei Washington D.C. Visit – A Meeting Marathon!, gives a pictorial recap.
• 16 & 17 – The Atlanta ZWZ Team hosts the South Carolina Hospitality Association contingent of Board members, business association executives, and City of Columbia staff and councilman for a ZWZ tour. The ZWZ Blog post, ATL Zero Waste Team Hosts SC Hospitality Tour, gives an overview of the tour and the Ei FB album, 08-11 SCHA ATL ZWZ Tour, gives a pictorial recap.

July:

• 28 – Ei Founder Holly Elmore was profiled as a Green Leader in FORTUNE.com’s article, 6 Green Leaders in Red States. For details, go to the ZWZ Blog post, FORTUNE.com Honors Green Within the Red.
  
• 01 – Simon Property Group. Waste Management and Ei|ZWZ tour the North Vernon, IN Hilex Poly Recycling Plant, the only recycling facility dedicated solely to plastic film recycling in the nation. The ZWZ Blog post, Getting a Handle on Plastic Film Recycling, gives a tour recap and the Ei FB Album, Hilex Poly Tour, gives the pictorial overview.

June:

• 28 – FreshPoint Atlanta joins the ZWZ as the first foodservice purveyor. The ZWZ Blog post, ZWZ Welcomes New Participants!, gives the details.
• 27 – The Atlanta Airport, Concourse T serves as the first Sustainable Food Court Initiative pilot.  See the ZWZ Blog post, Atlanta Airport – First SFI Pilot Project!, for the announcement and SFCI Team members.
  
• 16 – Matt Hupp with Simon Property Group travels to Atlanta for a day of meetings exploring zero waste initiatives available for mall operations. The ZWZ Blog post, Simon Property Group Embarks on Zero Waste Initiatives, gives a recap of the important day and the Ei FB Album, A Day of Mtgs with SPG, gives a pictorial overview.
• 14|15 – Havi Global Solutions, the supply chain management company for McDonald’s, visited Atlanta to explore an organics collection pilot for metro area McDonald’s. The ZWZ Blog post, Organics Collection Headed Towards Mainstream, gives a recap of the meetings and tours and the Ei FB album, HAVI Visits ATL, gives a pictorial overview.
• 13 – NatureWorks is Ei’s first sponsor renewal! The IMPACT Blog post, Ei’s Terrific Twos Brings Sponsorship Renewals, gives details of NW’s renewal and active Ei participation.
• 06 – Owens-Illinois contacts the ZWZ Team about partnering in a glass recycling pilot project in Atlanta. The Glass Packaging Institute joins the team effort. The ZWZ Blog post, Glass Recycling Kiln Ignited, gives an overview of the glass recycling exploration.

May:

• 26 – Seeds planted for ZWZ-Tampa in a day of meetings with hoteliers, government officials and the Tampa Airport folks. The ZWZ Blog post, An Atlanta Icon Resurfaces in Tampa, gives details of the visit.
• 24 – Recycling Integrity: Truths, Myths & Emerging Technologies introduced at the International Foodservice Sustainability Symposium in Chicago. The ZWZ Blog post, Recycling Integrity @ IFSS – The Chris & Holly Show with an Added Buzz, gives session details.
• 23 – Marlin Gottschalk, Director of the Sustainability Division of the GA DNR and Ei Advisory Council Member, passed from complications related to his cancer treatment. The ZWZ Blog post, Farewell to a Friend, Colleague & Mentor, is Ei Founder Holly Elmore’s personal tribute to Marlin.
• 21 – Compost, The Quiet Hero made an encore performance at the 2011 NRA Show with a 90 minute session accompanied by the Chris Triad: Chris Moyer (NRA), Chris Newman (EPA) and Chris Koetke (Kendall College). The ZWZ Blog post, Compost, The Quiet Hero @ 2011 NRA Show, includes session details and pictures.

April

• 21 -The POWER – Perishable Organics Waste to Energy Recycling – meeting was EXCELLENT with strong attendance and stellar presentations. The ZWZ Blog post, Spring POWER Meeting is Stellar gives a solid meeting overview and the Ei Facebook page has a POWER photo album with meeting pictures
• 18 – Susan Grider Montgomery joins Ei as the interim ZWZ Program Director. The long-term intention is for Susan to apply her expertise in health economics and impacts to the ZWZ. See the ZWZ Blog post, ZWZ Welcomes Susan Grider Montgomery, for more details.

February:

• 10 – ZWZ officially enters the Terrific Twos with the anniversary of the 2009 press conference that launched the program.  Visit the Press Room page for 2009 Press Release.
• 14 – City of Atlanta releases a media alert of their ZWZ participation and support.  Visit the Press Info page for the media alert and the ZWZ blog post, OFFICIAL: City of Atlanta Lends ZWZ Support for an overview and quotes from Mayor Reed and Mandy Mahoney, City of Atlanta Director of Sustainability.
• 23 – ZWZ Two-Year Anniversary Press Conference.  Visit the ZWZ Blog Post, ZWZ Garners National Support for press conference details and ZWZ Press Release Page for the ZWZ press release.
• 23 – The National Restaurant Associations announces the national collaboration with ZWZ. Visit the ZWZ Press Release Page for the NRA Press Release.
• 24 – Chris Moyer, National Restaurant Association Conserve Program Director, joins ZWZ Leadership as part of the NRA/ZWZ collaboration announced at the February 23 ZWZ Two-Year Press Conference.  Visit the Blog Post, Chris Moyer Joins ZWZ Leadership for more details and a picture of Chris in his signature green sneakers.

January:

 

• 24 - POWER (Perishable Organic Waste to Energy Recycling) held its first meeting outside of Atlanta in Santa Clara, CA in conjunction with U.S. Composting Council conference.  ZWZ Director Holly Elmore and Chris Moyer with the National Restaurant Association Conserve program presented tag-team style on Mobilizing the Foodservice Industry to Embrace Organics Collection.  Go to the POWER page for a list of the attendees, the agenda, the meeting notes and the PPT presentations.  Go the ZWZ Blog for a post on the meeting.
• 27 - ZWZ Director Holly Elmore  presented to the National Restaurant Association’s Board of Directors Sustainability and Social Responsibility Committee on ZWZ:  Mobilizing an Industry.  Go to the Speaking Engagements page for the PPT presentation.  Go to the ZWZ Blog for the blog post on the meeting.

2010:

December:

 

• 01, 07 & 08 ~ ZWZ Director Holly Elmore was invited to the Waste Management Area (GA, NC, SC) Fourth Quarter Management Meetings to educate the WM team on the importance of zero waste initiatives and the changing paradigm of the waste industry.  Go to the ZWZ Blog Post, WM Educates on Zero Waste for details on the meetings and to the Speaking Engagements page for the PPT presentation.

November:

 

• 17 – Compost, The Quiet Hero makes his second national appearance at the USDA Forestry Reserve’s Sustainable Options 2010 Summit in a 60 minute session via his spokesperson ZWZ Director Holly Elmore.  Later in the day Holly presented on Zero Waste Zones:  Mobilizing an Industry to Make a Difference in a 60 minute plenary session. Go to the Speaking Engagements page for additional information and the PPT presentations.
• 18 - Launch of the ZWZ Ambassador Program, a group of volunteers organized by zones with the joint commitment to build a strong zone through participation recruitment, guidance with meeting the Zone Criteria, and assistance in setting up the metrics collection tool.  Go to the ZWZ Ambassadors page for more information.
• 18 - ZWZ Champion Affairs to Remember Caterers experienced well over $100,000 in sales made almost exclusively because ATR is a responsible caterer who “walks the talk” of sustainable practices. Go the ZWZ Testimonial page for additional information.
  

September:

• 11 – ZWZ Blog post, Foodservice Industry Ready to Embrace Composting?! gets picked-up by the Northern California Advocates for Zero Waste within 24 hours of going live.  The post is a response to Peter Romeo’s National Restaurant Association Blog post, Compost Your Way to Zero Waste.  
• 20 – Fifth Group Restaurants is the first Charter Participant to join the on-line ZWZ program via the National ZWZ Participant Directory.  Go to the Directory to see those who followed Fifth Group’s lead.
• 26 – ZWZ Director Holly Elmore named one of the first SSO SuperHeroes in a program launched by  Harvest Power.  SSO = Source Separated Organics.  Superheros are recognized for their heroic efforts on the journey to create organic-free landfills. Go to the ZWZ Blog post, ZWZ Director a SSO Superhero, for more information and link to Holly’s profile on the SSO site.
• ZWZ Auxiliary Program launched, which is designed to give Participants guidance on avenues available to broaden the scope of their sustainable practices into areas beyond the Zone Criteria, including social responsibility.  Go to the ZWZ Auxiliary page for more information.

August:

• The National ZWZ Participant and Supplier Directories are launched.  Go to the ZWZ Directories page to view the directories.

June:

• ZWZ Director Holly Elmore quoted in QSRWeb.com article, The Future of Compostable Packaging for QSRs.  Go to the National Media page for a link to the article.

May:

• 24 – Compost, The Quiet Hero makes his debut presentation via spokesperson Holly Elmore, ZWZ Director, in a 90 minute solo presentation at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.  Go to the Speaking Engagement page for the PPT presentation and the ZWZ Blog post, The Quiet Hero Speaks, for a recap of the well attended session.

April:

• 01 - ZWZ Announces National Expansion plan in a morning presentation attended by a national audience
• Waste Magazine features the ZWZ~Downtown Atlanta with many quotes from ZWZ Director in the Naught ‘lanta article.  Go to the National Media page for an article link.

March:

• 02 - ZWZ Director Holly Elmore speaks on a panel at Southface’s GreenPrints Conference on Building a Balance: Zero Energy, Waste & Water.  First speaking engagement outside of the foodservice or environmental industries.  Go to the Speaking Engagements page for the PPT presentation.

February 10, 2009

• The Zero Waste Zone program launched with the downtown convention hotels, conference centers and event venues pledging to meet the ZWZ Criteria in a series of phases.