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- Is a Zero Waste Lifestyle Possible?
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Join Women in Cleantech and Sustainability for a lively and thought-provoking discussion of the Zero Waste movement. Hear from industry experts, city government, and zero-waste lifestyle advocates in a deep dive into this important environmental issue. We will discuss why diverting material from landfill is such a critical issue and will explore some of the challenges that service providers, policy makers, and consumers face today.
You will gain:
Up-to-date information on the Zero Waste movement in San Francisco and beyond
Perspectives from experts deep in their respective fields
Insights into career paths in waste management and diversion
Advice on what you can do in your own life to reduce waste
New connections in a lively community of peers
* In true Zero Waste fashion, please BYOE (Bring Your Own Everything): reusable cup, plate, utensils, and napkin. We appreciate your help! No one turned away for lack of reusables.Our Speakers:
Beth Terry, Founder of MyPlasticFreeLife.com, Founding Member of Plastic Pollution Coalition, Author of Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too
After learning about the devastating effects of plastic pollution on the environment and human health, Oakland accountant Beth Terry began an experiment to see if she could live without buying any new plastic. Since then, she has reduced her plastic waste to less than 2% of the national average. That experiment turned into the popular blog MyPlasticFreeLife.com and new book Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too. A founding member of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, Terry gives presentations on plastic-free living and why, despite what some critics assert, our personal actions really do make a difference. Her work and life have been profiled in the award-winning film Bag It, as well as Susan Freinkel’s book, Plastic: A Toxic Love Story and Captain Charles Moore’s Plastic Ocean.
(Photo credit: Micaela Preston)James Kao, CEO/President/Founder of Green Citizen
James W. Kao is an experienced startup CEO with a successful track record of delivering results in startup and Fortune 500 environments. After learning about the global e-waste crisis, James founded GreenCitizen, Inc. in 2003 to address this global crisis. He grew the company from inception to present. GreenCitizen has diverted 15 million pounds of electronics out of the landfill since its founding in 2005. The company has successfully serviced over 15,000 businesses and 150,000 consumers in the Bay Area. His goal is to replicate his local, sustainable metropolitan model for electronics recycling in every major city in the U.S. and, eventually, the world. Jean Cacicedo, Textile artist, Teacher, and Lecturer
Jean Cacicedo received a BFA in Sculpture from the Pratt Institute, New York, in 1970. Based in Berkeley, she has been teacher, curator, lecturer, and visiting artist in many schools including California College of the Arts, Oakland; Penland School of Crafts, North Carolina; and internationally in France, the Netherlands, and Australia. Jean was a prime innovator in the Wearable Art Movement of the 70’s. Known for her “signature one-of-a kind coats” of felted, pieced and dyed wool, her clothing has been exhibited throughout Europe, Japan, and the United states. Under the label LC, Jean designed and manufactured a limited production women’s clothing from 1987- 2007. Visit her work at jeancacicedo.com.Carter Hallock, CEO/Owner of Rethink Green
Carter Hallock is a dynamic entrepreneur who founded Rethink Green, a company focused on creating valuable products from waste carpet and has diverted over 10,000 tons of waste carpet from CA landfills since 2011. With degrees in economics and business, Carter has become a seasoned professional helping develop an industry by implementing and expanding recycling processes. Carter is an effectual leader with the ability to create and manage his company in alignment with his philosophy of being a "peaceful warrior" for the planet. Janelle Fitzpatrick, Commercial Zero Waste specialist, SF Environment
Janelle Fitzpatrick is a Zero Waste specialist for the San Francisco Department of the Environment. Janelle’s work consists of leveraging a variety of policy, education and project tools to support one of the most highly regarded and copied Zero Waste programs in the United States. Before joining the City, Janelle was co-founder for the celebrated Hayes Valley farm, where she was the Farm Education Director.Christine Liu, Founder of Packageless
Christine is a recent graduate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a BS in Industrial and Packaging Technology. During her last quarter of college, she was a Packaging Challenge Fellow with the DO School based in Germany, where she took part in the H&M Sustainable Packaging Challenge to create innovative package design solutions with 18 other social entrepreneurs from around the world. Her long term dream is to open a local packaging-free store offering community development opportunities, but for now, she is on a journey to inspire others to live a simple, sustainable lifestyle through her website packageless (now called Snapshots of Simplicity). She is currently based in the Bay Area, working for Cisco Systems full time as an IT Analyst, where she also looks to drive sustainable change in the corporate workplace and community. Our Moderator:
Lisa Ann Pinkerton
Lisa Ann Pinkerton is founder of Women In Cleantech & Sustainability, a San Francisco Bay Area group dedicated to the advancement of women in various environmental and technology sectors. She is also Founder and President of Technica Communications, where she handles marketing, social media, content production and public relations for cleantech and biotech startups. Additionally, Lisa Ann is Co-Founder and Marketing Chair for the Global Cleantech Cluster Association, sits on the advisory board for the International Sustainable Fashion Week, and is an international speaker, moderator and documentary filmmaker. Lisa Ann is a former award-winning broadcast journalist who reported for National Public Radio, PBS Television, WPXI-NBC, American Public Media, and Free Speech TV.