CRRA2019

Zero Waste Manager

Ms. Muir has managed Stanford University’s Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Composting Program for the last 25 years. She leads Stanford University toward a zero waste campus through a rigorous and comprehensive program of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. She enjoys most working with students and the campus community on waste reduction and educating on the connection between materials management, the economy, and climate change. Julie Muir is Past-President and current Senior Advisor to the California Resource Recovery Association and Chair of the Zero Waste Campus Council.

Stanford University, a residential research university, located in between San Francisco and San Jose, CA has a population of 35,000 students, staff and faculty. The University started recycling in the 1970’s as a student run operation and evolved over the last 30+ plus years to become one of the largest university recycling programs in the country.  We handle food rescue, yard trimmings, food, food soiled paper, compostable plastics, as well as horse manure from diverse locations like preschools and elementary schools and sports facilities to dining halls to graduate housing.

This presentation will focus on our comprehensive composting collection and education programs including implementation, bin selection, service details, costs, outreach and education, and evaluation of the different programs. Finally, we will talk about our next steps toward Zero Waste by 2030.

Christine Flowers has over 30 years’ experience as a professor, California state staff scientist and non-profit executive specializing in community engagement, environmental education and program implementation. She bridges academia, government, business and the non-profit sector to provide a unique perspective on environmental issues; providing services for the Valley Foothill Watersheds Collaborative as their Fundraising and Program Manager and for Keep California Beautiful as their Consultant for University and Outreach Programs. She continues to teach in the Environmental Studies Program at CSU, Sacramento and holds a M. S in Biological Sciences, and M.ED. from the University of Central Florida.

Since 2014, CSU SacState Sustainability has been developing partnerships with the community (Town) through focusing technical assistance to implementing sustainability plans with Zero waste goals and litter reduction initiatives and community/watershed cleanups. SacState Sustainability staff and faculty have acted as team leads and site captains for watershed cleanups along the American River for Coastal Cleanup and in its tributaries for Creek Week for many years. In the past two years, the process has become more formalized with “Adoption” of part of the American River Parkway and student and faculty engagement in regional Adopt-A-Creek Programs and litter audits for local governments in the American River Basin. Additionally, during the past two years, for the Sacramento Running Association’s main event, California International Marathon (CIM) and SacState Sustainability has engaged with the stakeholders to assist with implementing a vision for a Zerowaste multi-day special event. The CIM is one of the 10 largest Marathons in the country. Through this partnership over two years, SacState staff and faculty provided training to hundreds of students who then are volunteer sustainability leads for the multi-day events and some provide oversight to other youth volunteers implementing the sustainability plan. These efforts have led to the events’ being awarded Gold Certification by the Council for Responsible Sport as well as awards from Breathe Sacramento and the Green Sports Alliance. This project is revenue generating for the special sustainability fund reserved for student projects and the training materials are part of the course curriculum for environmental science classes.

Mike Carey began his career at Orange Coast College in 1985 as a Student Assistant with the campus Recycling Program and became the Recycling Coordinator in 1987. He has also obtained a LEED AP Credential. As a former California Resource Recovery Association board member, Mike has been at the forefront of environmental issues for several decades. Mike transitioned into OCC’s first Sustainability Coordinator and became instrumental in getting Campus leadership to embrace The Talloires Declaration and the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment. Mike is also an Architecture instructor teaching Sustainability, Environmental Design and Resource Management.

Zero Waste Plans

Mr. Carey will discuss the impact of Zero Waste programs and education at the community college level. With over 114 community colleges in the state of California, cities and counties will learn how community colleges are a resource to local programs and can be a place to experiment and expand zero waste programs.

Director, Facilities Services

After 10 years with Housing at UCLA, Hassan moved to the University of CA, Riverside where he has managed their 1900 acres for the past decade.  In his capacity of Director of Environmental and Resource Services, he is supported by a staff of 237 who oversee the cleanliness and beautification of the campus. His landscape and custodial team has been instrumental in creating a zero waste program that has resulted in a campus wide diversion rate of 70%.   Hassan comes to his role in sustainability naturally, as he’s been an organic farmer for the last 20 years on a farm he owns with his family.

How UC Riverside Will Achieve the University of California Zero Waste Goal

The University of California zero waste goal (defined as 90% diversion from landfill) is expected to be achieved by 2020.  Zero waste means setting a new goal for how we live in the world and on campus.  We need to reduce what is trashed in landfills and incinerators to zero and rebuild our local economies in support of campus health, sustainability and social justice.   The university is concentrating on significantly reducing and eventually completely eliminating the amount of resources sent to disposal.  Most of what we now waste can be safely and economically recycled, reused, composted, or turned into biogas through anaerobic digestion.  University of California, Riverside has been focused on  modeling small scale actions for maximum results.  Through outreach to faculty, staff, and students, UCR is working towards an understanding that each campus can make a difference--resulting in a better, safer and cleaner community.

Zero Waste Manager