Across the Silos-The Emerging 'Art' of Zero Waste Management

摘要

On August 21, 2017, a solar eclipse was seen in many parts of the United States. To many witnessing this event, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see such a full eclipse of the sun in North America. I happened to see this eclipse in San Diego, CA, while attending the 41~(st) annual California Resource Recovery Conference and Trade Show (CRRA). To be able to witness this event was truly awe-inspiring. While looking at the crowd gathered outside, sharing an amazing celestial event, I was struck by how an event occurring out in the cosmos could mirror events taking place on Earth. What dawned on me, in particular, was how CRRA and SWANA (Solid Waste Association of North America) were teaming up to present the first combined Zero Waste Training Certification class held in conjunction with the CRRA conference. As someone who has been a member of CRRA since 1982 and a member of SWANA since 2005,1 was struck by just how unique an "alignment"—an alignment of celestial significance in the recycling and solid waste industry—this type of training was for both organizations. The Zero Waste Training Certification class was several years in coming, subject to much hard work by dedicated individuals and with significant group efforts. Like an eclipse, it could have been obscured by clouds of disagreement, not seen for its potential by people who lacked vision and discounted by some who failed to see the significance of such collaboration, but this effort came about and was a great success.