CRRA 2023 Conference and Trade Show

Zero Waste Supervisor

Naomi Lue is the Zero Waste Supervisor at Castro Valley Sanitary District and has been with the District since 2002. As the Department Head, Naomi is responsible for overseeing CVSan's Zero Waste Strategic Plan and Communications Plan, franchise agreements, and directing zero waste programs for CVSan. She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from UC Davis and her Master of Public Administration from CSU East Bay. She is a Board of Director for SWANA’s California Gold Rush Chapter and recipient of Waste360’s 40 Under 40 award.

How is your Agency Working Towards Zero Waste?

Learn about innovative approaches that go beyond diversion in the blue and green bins. From strategic planning and event programming, to public outreach campaigns and messaging, reimagine your community asking each other how to prevent materials from becoming waste in the first place instead of only asking what goes where. Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan) will share how Castro Valley has developed a community culture that has inspired and influenced others.  

Program Manager

Kerry Parker has been working in waste reduction for 16 years, and has been San Ramon’s Solid Waste and Environmental Services Program Manager for just over 2 years. Before this she was a zero waste specialist for the City of Alameda, and was author/implementer/enforcer of Alameda’s straws and plastic foodware ban. Her focus now is finding opportunities to change the paradigm and culture of waste.

Trash Free San Ramon!

San Ramon had myriad waste reduction programs in place, a brand new SB 1383-compliant hauler, and was on track toward its zero waste goals – then the pandemic began, and the world changed. The reusable household items collection that was just launched and widely promoted to residents was shut down; the Door-to-Door HHW collection was stalled; and eating food via “sterile” and “safe” disposable foodware rose in popularity.  The City Council’s February 2020 desire to reduce single-use foodware with a ban became practically impossible. In April 2022, San Ramon began a new strategy to reduce single-use foodware.  Stigmatize it!  (Disposable?  Ew.)

Communication and Outreach Specialist

Kelli Valbusa has over 25 years of art direction, graphic design, photography, and project management experience. She has been responsible for planning and creating print and electronic communication and outreach in the solid waste and recycling industry for over 13 years. Her experience includes planning, budgeting, creating, and managing public outreach programs for five municipal franchise contract rollouts. She currently oversees and designs the day-to-day communications and outreach activities for the municipal franchise collection contracts of Alameda County Industries and Peninsula Sanitary Services, Inc. 

ACI's Green Initiatives

Alameda County Industries (ACI) strives to highlight waste reduction ideas and activities to its customers whenever possible. ACI provides waste reduction articles, ideas, and tips in the communication to its single-family, multi-family, and commercial sectors and creates cohesive electronic, print, and social media campaigns that mirror the zero waste concepts featured in its collection vehicle signage program. They also prioritize sustainability in their internal communications by providing Green Tips to their employees monthly. The latest waste reduction program ACI has championed is the “ACI – GO PAPERLESS, PLANT A TREE” program. ACI plants a tree for each ACI customer that signs up for paperless billing.

Sustainability Programs Manager