Zero Waste Innovation Forum on Friday, August 19

Recycling industry leaders and zero waste experts will bring it home to Humboldt
on Friday, August 19th, Noon to 5:30PM at the Arcata D Street Neighborhood
Center. The Zero Waste Innovation Forum will provide a rare opportunity for
Humboldt business, economic development, and elected leaders to meet with these
experts and local recycling and waste management professionals to discuss cutting
edge models for achieving integrated waste management goals.

The half-day Forum sponsored by the City of Arcata, Humboldt Waste Management
Authority, and North Coast Recycling Market Development Zone, has assembled a
brain trust of West Coast specialists in integrated waste management planning, on-
the-ground application of zero waste principles, creative reuse systems, state of the
art food digester systems, international marketing of recycled paper, and how to
integrate locally collected recyclables as feedstock for Humboldt made products.
In addition to the featured presenters, several specialists will be participating as
expert resources at the Forum.

Many of the Forum presenters are enthusiastic about sharing their expertise and
hard-earned experience because they started their careers in Humboldt County
as students at Humboldt State University. Forum speakers Dan Cotter, Cellmark
Vice President in charge of recovered paper sales to China and other Southeast
Asian countries and California Assemblymember Wes Chesbro were both students
when they founded the Arcata Community Recycling Center. Speakers Tedd
Ward, Analyst/Planner, Del Norte Solid Waste Management Authority, Ed Boisson,
Senior Consultant at RW Beck, an SAIC Company, and Tire-Derived Product
Business Assistance Program Project Manager, and Juliette Bohn, Humboldt Waste
Management Authority Program Analyst are all alums of the HSU Environmental
Systems masters degree program. Sunnyvale Solid Waste Program Manager
Mark Bowers also graduated from HSU and was Operations Manager at Arcata
Community Recycling Center in the early 1980’s. He’ll be presenting his experience
in the essentials of integrated waste management planning.

Portia Sinnott, noted San Franciso Bay Area author, lecturer and consultant in
sustainability and zero waste methods is known for her lively and engaging
presentations. Maureen Hart, North Coast Recycling Market Development Zone
Coordinator will present the opportunities for creating more local business uses for
recovered materials and supporting recycling entrepreneurship.

Organizers have planned the Forum to provide Humboldt participants with
practical guidance for how to develop an effective and collaborative process for
a comprehensive integrated waste management plan. Most Humboldt residents
have a narrow perception that recycling is simply something that they do that ends
at the curb, when that is just the first step. Recycling is much more than a form of
solid waste management. It is a worldwide imperative for resource and energy
conservation and it is an initial step in the manufacturing process.

The public is invited, but seating is limited so an RSVP is required to participate.
Lunch is $15/person at the door. To RSVP and for more information contact
[email protected] .