What is the life cycle of products? How do we handle Minneapolis garbage? Are there smarter ways to impact waste in air/soil, beyond recycling/composting?
Composting and recycling aren’t the only answers to the waste of our consumption habits. What resources are used in creating our products? What are we sending into the air and soil despite current efforts? Who has healthier options for us to consider?
Our city-wide series of “Sustainable We” conversations continued November 16, 2015, with a group discussion at Lake Harriet Spiritual Community.
- Overview: Putting a Value on Waste, by Design
- Amanda LaGrange explained the work TechDump does, not only giving new life to electronics, but training and hiring those who have had trouble finding employment. Read more about TechDump here.
- Madalyn Cioci talked about the life cycle of waste before it ends up in our garbage. She is a Senior Environmental Specialist in waste and pollution prevention at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, serves on the board of ReUSE MN, and was a founding board member of Linden Hills Power and Light.
- Kate Davenport explained the values inherent in the work of Eureka Recycling, not only in helping the city create zero waste events, but giving living wage employment to workers who tend to otherwise do dangerous work at part-time pay without benefits. Learn more here.
Community participants in the discussion included the founder of Junket: Tossed and Found… a consultant for Better Futures deconstruction… Linden Hills Power & Light… East Isles Green Team… Bridging, which connects re-use furnishings with families transitioning out of homelessness and poverty… Carbon Zero Home (re-furbishing older homes with new energy efficiency)… Effect Partners (sustainability marketing at a national scale)… and three young men from Lake Harriet Middle School working on a GISE project to repurpose sneakers.
Co-host Maisy Martin is a senior on the Southwest High School Green Team.
The “Sustainable We” Series
“We are well served by having the educated, aware, thoughtful and passionate individuals we have in Minneapolis who want to collectively do in a better way. How are we designing a sustainable environment together?”